In Perfect Control
by Wynja
Summary: Robin loses control, Slade is there to help him regain it… well… so he says. (Slash, sladin)
1. Chapter 1

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: I'm now also on AO3, and this story will also be posted there. Many of you have asked me to move/get an account there for… years… and now it has happened. If there's any interest over there, I'll keep it up.

A/N: Some of the names I use for background characters are actual DC characters but that doesn't mean their story arch or character is the same, especially not very minor characters.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 1: Damage Control**

Robin had of course known that this day would come sooner or later, but not this soon. Definitely not this soon. The church was full of people he barely knew. Next to him, the normally stoic Alfred was sitting, his shoulders shaking slightly. In front of him, a little to the left, stood the flower-covered coffin. Bruce was dead. The priest was going on and on about something or other. Robin was hiding behind his sun glasses, not caring if it might be considered disrespectful in this so-called house of a so-called god. His tears were falling in a steady but silent stream. He thought he would be able to keep it together. He hadn't. He hadn't been able to keep _anything_ together.

At barely eighteen, a weight had landed on his shoulders. Not protecting the world, not protecting Gotham or Jump, no, he had inherited a decisively more frightening burden: Wayne Enterprises. It had been a week since the accident – a stupid, normal car accident! – and he had been drowned in papers ever since. Robin had thought that lawyers would handle it all, that he and Alfred would be left alone to grieve, but as it was, he had barely had any time to process what had happened. He had signed too many documents unread already, nodded at too many things he didn't understand, seen too many insincere smiles that reminded him of cartoon sharks. And it kept coming. People, papers, obligations. He felt guilty as he realized that this was the first time, apart from the few hours of sleep he had gotten each night, where no one was demanding anything of him. Well. Apart from appearances. Robin automatically took the handkerchief handed to him by the old butler by his side. Fuck appearances.

* * *

_One month later…_

"Caroline, can you come in here?" Robin asked over the intercom, his voice somewhat agitated.

The redheaded secretary came into the huge corner office a moment later, looking almost reluctant to do so. She had been Bruce's secretary too, and her normally impeccable look with her hair in a tight bun and black rimmed glasses, making her appear somewhat older than her early thirties, had started to fray a bit in the last couple of weeks.

"Yes, Mr. Wayne?"

The name change had been suggested by the board, 'to smooth the transition', to 'think of the brand'. Robin hated it. Richard was also his only first name now, and, maybe as a quiet rebellion, he had continued to think of himself as 'Robin', something that he was used to from the Titans. It was something that was only his, and very few things were nowadays.

"I asked for the quarterly report, why am I getting papers from December?" he asked harshly. Someone, he couldn't even remember who at this point, had told him he needed to look over the latest numbers in preparation for another endless meeting that went over his head.

"It's… It's February?" the secretary told him, sounding like she wasn't quite sure of it herself.

"Exactly! Why am I getting numbers from last year?"

"Because…" the woman swallowed but then seemed to find the courage somewhere to continue. "We're in the middle of the quarter now. Last quarter ended in December. You… you might have meant the monthly reports?"

Robin stared at her and had never felt this stupid in his life. Well, that was a lie. He felt this stupid every day nowadays, and he was very, _very_ tired of it. He thought he was good at getting by on less sleep than a normal teen, but now he was getting half of that. And no breaks.

"If you knew that, then why the hell did you get me the quarterly one?!" he growled.

"You… you asked for-"

"YOUR JOB IS GETTING ME WHAT I NEED!" Robin yelled. "E-mail me those files at once!"

The woman simply fled and the young man grabbed paper weight on the desk, throwing it against the wall hard enough for the solid crystal to shatter.

"That was a Lalique figurine-" a voice suddenly said behind him. Robin spun around and came face to face with a large shadow. For a moment, for a crazy, hopeful moment, he thought it was- but then the man stepped into the light which caught the two-toned mask. "Worth about 340 dollars, I believe," the mercenary continued calmly.

"Slade!" The name was out of the teen's mouth before he realized that he had just outed himself. But what did it matter? The hero Robin didn't exist anymore. Not really.

The man snorted softly like he was scolding the boy for being that careless, but otherwise just tilted his head a little, like he was curiously waiting to see what the teen would do.

Robin, in the meanwhile, had come to some of his own conclusions.

"Someone already put a price on my head?" he asked, getting no reaction. He considered his environment for any advantages but then just laughed a joyless laugh and threw his hands out. "Well, at least they sent someone _good_. Get on with it. I don't fucking care." He sat down on the edge of the desk as to prove his point. His shoulder's sagging a bit. No more of this hell. Might be worth it.

"I'm not here to kill you, I'm here to take over," Slade told him, making the teen blink.

"Take over? Really? Great! Do it! There's a list of things to do here," the teen said and grabbed a large note pad, holding it up at the man. "Don't ask me what half of the things means because I don't know. You have a meeting in an hour. Where do I sign?". He was sarcastic, but a part of him meant it. Whatever the mercenary wanted at this point, he could have. Robin was just… done.

"Here, actually," the man shrugged off something that no one who wanted to live would have dared to call a backpack to his face, but it was a bag, and it went on his back. It was really thin, though, made to carry maybe a laptop, Robin guessed, and it seemed to be made from bullet proof material. Slade wore macho backpacks. Robin's lips quirked a bit. He was tired. Really tired. Everything seemed crazy. And that, as it turned out, was just the start.

The man handed him a plastic folder with two copies of the same paper inside.

"This... this is an employment contract?" Robin said, looking it over quickly. "For… you? This is the official Wayne stationary as well, how did you…?"

"Maybe you should be asking questions starting with 'why', instead?" the man suggested.

"I… yes," the teen agreed. "Why?"

"I've been watching you. You're sinking. Fast. I'm here to help."

"If you really wanted to help, you would have shot me by now," the teen muttered. "How is- why… explain?" the last part came out as more as a plea than an order.

"You're out of control. The way you just treated Miss Crown proves it," the man started.

Robin gave the door a guilty glance. "Wait, she didn't hire you, did she?" he half joked.

"I'm sure that, if she had, it would have been a termination contract." The man's voice sounded somewhat amused. "No. We'll get to that in a moment. You're out of control and I'm here to take it back."

"Lovely, I'm all aboard," Robin drawled, but he couldn't help it; somewhere, deep inside, he started to feel hopeful.

"I'm going to start by taking all control away from _you_."

And then the hope died, leaving only confusion and some anger behind. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to teach you how to act in this world, to stand on your own two feet, but you won't like my methods."

"Well, then I won't hire you."

"You have no choice."

"Imagine that. Here's me trying: no." Robin snorted.

"Then within an hour the word that Batman is dead will spread, and Bruce's name with it."

Robin froze. He had tried very hard to keep people from discovering this very thing. He had used an altered old Slade-bot that Cyborg had sent him, as well as projected moving shadows, used drones, and he'd driven the bat-mobile through the city every other night. Pretending to fight crime had turned out to take just as long as actually fighting it. He wasn't going to keep it up, though. The hero was out of business, he had to focus on the_ actual_ business first, he had decided. Alfred had agreed. First, he would find his feet in the business world and then he'd look into protecting the city again. That had been the plan. It had seemed so easy. If Bruce was exposed, the manor would be a target for criminals and the justice system both. Batman had been a vigilante, after all, the authorities would be more than interested. If Slade did what he threatened to do, and Robin had no reason to believe that he wouldn't… then he'd lose both worlds. Let down his mentor completely.

"I'm… listening," Robin growled.

"Good boy. I'll come in through that door in civilian clothes in about 20 minutes. Until then you will apologize profoundly to the young lady out there, and you will arrange for a big bouquet of flowers to be on her desk when she comes into work tomorrow morning, including two VIP season tickets to Gotham Goliaths."

"Wait… baseball?" Robin asked.

"She likes it, and so does her fiancé." The man shrugged like it was somehow common knowledge.

"I… ok."

"Good. Make it happen," the man said and walked up to the window. "You don't have long, Robin," he added.

"It's Richard now."

The man chuckled. "You'll always be Robin to me," he said and simply jumped out.

For some reason that made the teen feel… warm.

Robin reached for the phone the second the man was gone. Somehow, he had decided to obey, because… because he _could_. And probably should. But at this point the "could" was more important. Two phone calls and one conversation within a time frame of twenty minutes. It was doable. He knew how to do this. He ended up ordering the tickets online as he was talking to the florist and then he reached for the intercom again, swallowing nervously as he did.

"Caroline, could you please come in for a moment?" he asked.

Five minutes later the door closed behind a, hopefully, happier secretary, and not long after that the buzzer on the intercom went off.

"Yes?" Robin asked, knowing fully well what it would be about.

"Sir, a Mr. Wilson here to see you?"

"Send him in."

Robin straightened up in the chair. This was the first time he would see the man unmasked, and the whole weird situation was almost worth it.

Slade walked in like he owned the place, in a crisp and very expensive looking suit and holding a briefcase. He looked immaculate, even with the black eye patch.

Caroline hovered a little bit in the doorway, appearing unsure, as this appointment obviously hadn't been on her agenda.

"It's fine, I expected him. Why don't you go home for the night?" Robin said and glanced at his watch, which was creeping close to seven. She had put in very long hours lately too… and been badly repaid for it.

"Thank you, sir," she nodded and closed the door.

Robin looked over at Slade and fought the instinct to call the woman back. Instead he squared his shoulders and leaned back in the chair, trying to look confident.

"Well?" he asked. "Explain yourself."

The man smirked and raised an eyebrow, studying him. "A for effort," he was told. "We need to change the furniture in here though. That chair dwarfs you, and so does the desk. They have to go."

"This desk is an antique! It's been with the family for generations!" Robin objected.

"We'll put it in storage until you grow into it, then," the man shrugged. "Besides, you're a Grayson. Why do you care? Why not sell it all?"

"I'm a Wayne now… and it… it's his legacy!"

"Yes, his. Not yours."

"The company stems from the 17'th century!" Robin objected. "I'm not going to throw it away! It meant too much to him, to the whole city! Lex Corp is already sniffing around, and I won't let it take a single bite!"

The man's smirk grew slightly into something that more resembled a smile.

"Good. Now that I know what it all means to you, I'm sure we can come to an… agreement."

Robin glared at him. "You need to explain what it is you want first."

"You're going to sign that contract stating that you have hired me as your personal consultant. From there, I will make all decisions in your life until such time that you are able to stand on your own two feet. This arrangement will be kept within the family, so to speak, on the outside it will still seem that you're running the show. Well… it will_ start_ to seem like you're running the show, because it sure as hell haven't looked like that for the last month."

"Fuck you."

"Noted. I will be with you 24/7, Mr. Pennyworth has already prepared a room for me-"

"Alfred knows about this?" Robin asked, shocked. Suddenly it all seemed a bit more real.

"He has been informed, yes. Furthermore, I will, on a few occasions, impersonate Batman, for as long as you chose to keep the charade up. If you wish to, we'll arrange his 'death' at an appropriate time, or you take over the mantle when you're ready to do so."

Robin shook his head. He wouldn't become Batman. Someone else, perhaps, or he'd be Robin again, but not Batman.

"That, at least, is up to you," Slade shrugged. "Very little else is from now on."

"What do you gain from this?" the teen asked angerly.

"Funny you should ask…" the man walked up to the desk, put down his briefcase, opened it and withdrew another paper. "You need to sign this too."

Robin took it and skimmed through it. His initial surprise changed into a form of glee. "This is a parole form."

"Yes."

"You need to show proof of employment or you'll go to jail?"

"That's the idea, yes." Slade didn't seem as troubled by this as Robin wanted him to, but it at least made the teen feel better.

"So if I don't sign this you go to jail?" he wanted to clarify.

"No, of course not."

"But-"

"They wouldn't be able to arrest me unless, possibly, they sent Clark," Slade shrugged. "And even he would have to find me first."

The teen blinked at the fact that the mercenary knew Superman's real identity, but decided not to comment. It was clear the man knew quite a lot more than was healthy for… well… probably humanity as a whole.

"So… why do you care if I sign it?"

"It would help in future endeavors. I've been offered some government work, but they require a blank slate, so to speak, this was part of an offer they made."

Robin slumped a little in his chair. With the man's threat hanging over him he really didn't have a choice about any of this, but he still wanted to find out more. He looked over at the employment contract again.

"The wage… it's… reasonable."

"Of course. The media is watching you like hawks, if you hired someone too cheaply or too expensively, they would get too curious. I will be in the spotlight enough as it is."

"You couldn't just be, like… my bodyguard?" Robin suggested. Gesturing vaguely to the man's build.

"I considered it, but no. I might need to speak up and handle things at times, a body guard wouldn't have that authority."

"Will you… this…" Robin now indicated the papers, "really… help?"

"Yes. But like I said; you might not like it, at first. In a while you'll understand."

"And for how long?"

"However long I deem necessary."

"So you're holding all the cards, is that's what you're saying?" Robin snorted.

The man smirked. "Exactly."

The teen closed his eyes for a moment. He had no choice, and his life was in ruins anyway. Why not just sign it away? How could that possibly be worse than what was happening already? What was he trying to hold on to? His pride? What use was that now? He opened his eyes, nodded curly and reached for a pen. His hand still wasn't used to signing 'Richard Wayne', and the signatures looked a bit clumsy to him, but at least it was done. He looked up at Slade tiredly.

"Now what?"

The man collected the contracts and, which made the teen smile slightly, put one in his 'out' box for his secretary to file.

"You have a meeting in thirty minutes. Cancel it," came the order.

Robin opened his mouth to question it, but then just shrugged and pulled his keyboard closer. A few seconds later the participants had gotten an alert that the meeting was cancelled. Robin had barely double checked that the message had really been sent when his phone rang. He looked at the number.

"It's Pete Burke, he's in charge of Wayne Construction, what do I tell him?"

"Put him on speaker, introduce me, and I'll take it from there," Slade told him.

"Pete?" Robin answered.

"Ricky, my boy, I just got the message, not a good time to cancel, I have to say," the overly chipper-sounding man said. The teen always had a feeling he was talked down to when this man addressed him, and that was saying something considering what had just gone on with Slade.

"Something came up. You're on speaker with my new asset, Slade Wilson," the teen said, using the name on the employment contract. "He's going to step in as a consultant. Slade…?"

"Wilson here," the man said clearly. "We have to confirm the meeting in cancelled. You will soon receive a notification for a meeting tomorrow morning, regarding a different, but more urgent matter."

"I don't think you can-" Pete began.

"Russel, let me assure you I have full authority to do anything I please," Slade said and leered down at Robin, who suddenly felt like a rabbit having been discovered by a fox. "I'm here to turn this ship around, and I can fire and hire anyone to make it go smoothly," the man continued. "Now, we have things to prepare for tomorrow, like I said, you'll get a message shortly. And this is need to know, for now."

"I… yes, sir," the man said, albeit reluctantly, and after a short farewell greeting to the teen, hung up.

"I rather enjoyed that," the young man admitted.

Slade chuckled. "Now, send a message to the board. Meeting, tomorrow morning at nine, here at Wayne Tower, main conference room. No press."

The teen nodded and did as he was told. Slade read through the message and nodded his approval before Robin sent it.

"Good. Let's go," the man ordered.

Robin was very ready for this strange day to end, although he had enough to do back home to keep him up until dawn. Again. He stood up and started to pack his laptop.

"Leave it. Leave everything. You won't need it tonight," Slade told him, waiting impatiently by the door.

"But-"

"That was an order."

The teen grumbled but accepted and was almost at the door when his phone rang. Slade snatched it from his hand and turned it off.

"You can't do that!"

"Were you in the room before when I told you about taking control?"

"Yes, but-"

"Did Bruce have to answer phone calls at all times of the day?"

"No, but-"

"Then neither do you. They have their orders. No more objection, we're going home," the man said and placed a hand at the small of Robin's back, firmly enough for the teen to comply.

They took the elevator down to the garage, and Robin fished the key out of his pocket when he approached the car, a ten-year-old silver Mercedes that didn't stand out too much. He had picked it out from Bruce's collection for just that reason. Just a few months ago he had drooled at the thought of driving around in any of the man's pricier vehicles, but now he just got a bad taste in his mouth thinking about it.

"Give me the keys, you're not driving," Slade suddenly said, standing in his way.

"Why?" the teen asked, closing his fingers over them defensively.

"You're questioning me far too much, but we'll work on that," the mercenary growled. "You're exhausted, distracted and, most importantly; because I say so. Give me the keys. Now." His whole demeanor screamed out 'warning' and Robin heeded it. He was tired, he told himself. He dropped the keys into the man's palm and rounded the car to the passenger seat.

They didn't speak on the drive back, and the teen's mood grew darker and more irritated by the second.

"Master Richard," Alfred greeted him kindly. "Mr. Wilson," he added a little colder.

"Alfred, did you know about this?" Robin growled, gesturing to Slade in general.

"I was informed earlier today," the old butler answered cautiously and then straightened a little. "I was made to understand that it would be your decision to proceed?"

"Not much of a choice," Robin muttered.

Either Alfred didn't hear him or ignored him, because the old man continued. "I need your approval for the cocktail party menu. The caterers are suggesting-"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FUCKING MENU!" Robin yelled, having the old man recoil slightly. "JUST ORDER WHAT THE HELL YOU WANT AND-"

Suddenly he was grabbed and slammed into the marble floor so hard that he lost the ability to breathe for a moment. When he tried to get up a heavy foot landed on the middle of his back, pinning him.

"Apologize."

Robin snarled incoherently and the pressure grew until he let out a gasp of pain.

"Apologize. Now. Alfred is family. He doesn't deserve you lashing out because you let your foul mood get the better of you," Slade growled.

Robin stilled. Shame colored his cheeks.

"I… I'm sorry. Al, I'm… sorry."

"It's… quite alright, Master Richard," the old man stuttered, seemingly rather shocked at the scene.

Slade was apparently pleased, however, as the pressure disappeared and Robin scrabbled to his feet.

"Go to your room and shower. I'll be there shortly," Slade told him.

Robin, not quite knowing what to do, glanced quickly up at Alfred, mumbling another 'sorry' and fled.

The men watching him flee were closer in age that what seemed possible, but there their similarities ended.

"Do you think you will be able to help him?" Alfred asked quietly, suddenly a new familiarity in his voice.

"Hell if I know," Slade sighed. "But I'll try. I owe Bruce for Azerbaijan."

The butler let out a short chuckle. "He knew that, and I think he enjoyed it. I don't think he ever planned on letting you pay the debt back."

"Well… he doesn't have a choice now." Slade snorted, and met the other man's eyes. "You made the right decision, calling me."

_To be Continued…_

A/N. There. Setup done. Like? Yes? No? Fears? Hopes? Let me know!


	2. Chapter 2: Out of Control

A/N: I forgot to write in the last chapter that this story will update every Wednesday. There will be a slight delay in a couple of weeks as I plan on a short holiday to Denmark, so that wee the update will be on Friday or POSSIBLY Thursday night unless I'm too tired to function once I get home… 😉

Thank you so much for all the comments and stuff, especially on AO3, seems like a great place to publish, and it's easy to update/edit too… I will definitely consider moving there/moving stuff there so if you have an account; follow/subscribe, whatever, so you don't miss anything (I'm Wynja over there as well).

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 2: Out of Control**

Slade didn't bother knocking as he entered the teen's bedroom. Robin was sitting, cross-legged, on his bed, deeply engrossed in whatever was on the tablet he was holding. He looked up at the man and blinked.

"I've googled you," he informed the man. "You are apparently an economics wiz from across the pond, there's articles claiming you have been working in the E.U as well as private interests… it's a pretty good cover. Most journalists would be too lazy to try to dig deeper."

"I told you to shower."

The teen gave him a look like he had expected to be praised and was now feeling somewhat confused and insulted at the same time.

"I just-"

Slade grabbed him and pulled him off the bed. The kid had to learn, and learn he would. He took the tablet and threw it at the wall, smashing it, and then ripped the teen's jacket off.

"Shower. Now. Or I'll undress you completely and _help_," he growled. He could tell Robin wanted to fight back, how_ desperately_ the teen craved to do so, and he had to admit that he rather enjoyed the moment the boy gave in. Slade let him go then and the young man shuffled into the adjoining bathroom. The mercenary settled in a chair outside, waiting.

Ten minutes later Robin opened the bathroom door a smidge. He hadn't been able to grab any sleepwear to bring into the bathroom with him, and now he was stuck in a towel with a madman in his bedroom. He was at a bit of a loss at how to proceed.

"Get out here," Slade told him and the teen, getting a better grip on the towel, did.

"I just need my pajama pants," he mumbled, turning towards his dresser.

"Not yet. Stay as you are."

Robin turned towards the man and met his single, piercing eye, which was roaming his body intently. The teen shivered. He didn't quite like the look.

"You've lost muscle mass. Do you work out at all anymore?" the man asked.

"I… there… haven't been much time," Robin admitted, feeling a bit ashamed.

"And your eating habits? Declined?"

"I… yes," the teen admitted. He seemed to remember surviving on office coffee and doughnuts for 48 hours last week.

"Bad habits end now. Have you eaten this afternoon?"

"I… thought I'd grab something here," the teen admitted.

"I'll have Alfred bring something up for you. You are to eat and then go straight to sleep, understood?"

"But I have things to prepare-"

"No, you don't. You eat and then you sleep, I hope I don't have to repeat myself again?"

"No, _sir_," Robin muttered. He tried to add the title sarcastically but with an authority like Slade it was rather difficult. "May I please dress in peace now?"

"Certainly," the man nodded, like he wouldn't dream of being a nuisance to the teen. Slade stood up and studied the door shortly on the way out. "This door remains unlocked at all times," he told the young man and left.

Robin fought an urge to run up and lock the door, but realized that it would make him look childish as well as get him in more trouble with the man. Instead he changed, put the towel back and brushed out his hair. He needed to get a haircut. Something shorter and more businesslike like Bruce, perhaps? Would that help? As it was, his black locks were starting to brush his shoulders, especially now when they were still wet. He studied his body in the full-length mirror, remembering Slade's insulting words about it. He frowned when he discovered that the man might be right. In a little over a month there wasn't much change, but the trained eye could still spot it. He needed to be careful. Do better. Stamina had a very short best-by date and so had strength and flexibility. If he had any hopes of returning to be a hero in the future, not that he knew at this point if he had, then he needed to keep up.

He considered going down to eat, but at that moment there was a knock on his door and Alfred came in, balancing a tray. Robin felt how hungry he was and thanked the man as he looked it over. It was a salad with a piece of fish on top, a small bowl of broth with some noodles and a glass of milk.

"It looks great," the teen said.

"Are… are you alright, Master Richard?" the old man asked carefully. "This whole business…. You will tell me if it gets too much?"

Robin silently thought that it wouldn't matter, that Alfred couldn't do anything anyway, but smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. It's… frustrating, but it might actually turn out well in the end," he said, wishing he believed his own words. "Besides, I have no choice," he added so the man wouldn't believe he was perfectly content. "Not unless I sell the company, take all the money I can get and leave… and I really don't want to do that, Al. I want to try to make this work. It's his legacy… it's… it's the right thing to do, isn't it?"

"I think it's honorable," the old man nodded. "And remember, I was there when Bruce took over, he struggled too, even though he had been prepared for it to happen."

"Thanks, that helps to hear," the teen smiled and then sighed. "Well, I'm starving, goodnight, Alfred."

"Good night, Master Richard," the old man nodded and smiled.

Robin practically inhaled the meal after the man left and then brushed his teeth and went to bed. It was only just after nine in the evening and it was really much too soon. He was tired, though, but after twisting and turning for a while he gave up. He might as well take the dishes down to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher, he figured. He was doing just that when someone grabbed his neck.

"I told you to go to sleep," Slade growled in his ear. Robin had yelped, embarrassingly loudly, because he hadn't heard the man at all.

"I'm just taking care of the dishes!" he objected.

"Did I tell you to?"

"No, but- ow!"

Robin was led firmly back to his bedroom. The man grabbed his wrist and just held it. "Your heartbeat is elevated, your blood pressure is probably through the roof, it's not easy to fall asleep like that."

"Not when the one responsible for it ordered you to bed," the teen muttered sullenly.

"I'll take some credit for the pulse, but nothing else," the man snorted and pushed the teen on the bed. "Alright, we'll do it this way, then."

Robin had caught himself and rolled over on his back and was now, wide eyed, watching the man take his shirt off.

"What… what are you doing?"

"I'm going to put you to sleep," the man explained, without actually explaining anything, and continued by pulling his undershirt off as well, leaving his chest bare. A very nice chest, Robin noted, but crawled backwards, away from the man.

"You- you- put your clothes back on!" the teen almost pleaded.

"No, I'd like to be comfortable as well," Slade insisted and unzipped his trousers. The next moment the man was in his underwear, dark grey boxer briefs, and the small part of Robin's brain that noticed the chest was now focused on a rather impressive bulge in those shorts.

Robin wondered how far he would come if he ran, and glanced at the door.

"Don't even think about it," the man warned him and got into bed with him. "Here, get under the covers." He added, placing his phone on the bedside table.

Robin was unable to move, so Slade simply arranged him the way he wanted, with the teen ending up with his head against the man's naked chest. "There. Listen to my heartbeat. Yours will adjust to it and calm down. It works on small children, so it should work on you."

"I'm not a child!" Robin objected, his face red from the unwanted physical contact.

"You're not? Are you sure?" the man chuckled, and turned off the bedside lamp, the only light source in the room. "Settle down, little boy. Dream nice dreams."

Robin wasn't going to settle down, though. He was steaming. Stupid, stupid Slade! Listen to his heartbeat, huh? Idiot! Robin couldn't even hear- well, yes, he just discovered that he could. Huh. He supposed he had laid like this on his parent's chests at some point, but he couldn't remember it. It was a bit strange, hearing someone else's heart, like this, feeling their chests rise and fall slowly, rhythmically… Something about it was a bit soothing, and he almost felt like… he was… falling… asl….

The man snorted softly when he heard the teen's breathing even out. He had known the boy was exhausted and decided to try this approach both to show the boy who was the boss and because he suspected it would be the quickest way. He reached for his phone and worked for a while, careful not to move too much, but everything was prepared for the next day so there really wasn't much to do. Staying still and warm, listening to the slow breathing of the young man made the mercenary yawn himself and he chuckled. Alright. He'd rest his eyes for a bit as well, he knew he would wake up if the boy decided to do something stupid again.

Robin slept soundly through the night, without any of his usual nightmares, but waking up brought a bit of a shock. He was being spooned by someone, and that someone had quite a considerable erection. Said erections also seemed to want to make itself at home between the teen's butt cheeks, bumping softly against the crevice every time its owner breathed or moved.

"Slade, wake up!" the teen yelped as he found his voice.

The man behind him awoke immediately but, instead of letting him go, he reacted by harshly pulling the teen closer instead, maybe in an effort to protect him against whatever he had yelled about. If they both hadn't been wearing clothes, Robin wasn't _quite_ sure he would have been able to consider himself a virgin anymore after that.

"Get off me! Dammit, Slade, you're hard!" he yelled.

The man calmly released him, with a derisive snort like the teen was overreacting.

"Pervert!" Robin hissed.

"Don't flatter yourself," Slade chuckled, now standing up and stretching, before scratching himself down there. "I just need to take a piss."

"Sure," the teen muttered, having quite a difficult time keeping his eyes from the man's tented underwear.

"Seems someone else needs to go potty himself," the man leered down at him, and the teen quickly yanked the covers up, beet red in the face. "Because that couldn't have been my doing, could it?" the man added with a smirk over his shoulder as he headed to the bathroom. He didn't even have the decency to close the door and Robin heard the man relieve himself, the stream never seemed to want to stop.

"I knew he was full of shit, but it seems to be piss too," Robin muttered to himself.

"Cute," Slade said from the bathroom.

"You couldn't possibly have heard that!" the teen called back, more annoyed than mortified.

"Get dressed in workout clothes before I finish up in here or I'm going to watch you change," the man warned him, which got the teen moving. He glanced at the clock as he did. 5.30. Oh, well, considering he had fallen asleep so early last night, it was more sleep than he had gotten in the last week. He had gotten underwear and gym shorts on when Slade rejoined him.

"Meet me down in the gym in ten minutes," the man told him, calmly gathering his clothes and leaving.

Robin had stayed away as much as possible from the Batcave since he got here. It just felt… wrong. But here he was, as the big gym was here. It felt wrong for Slade to be here too, he was, after all, the supposed enemy, even though it had been a few years since then. After Trigon, the man had pretty much moved on. He always, deep down, wondered if he had somehow disappointed the mercenary. Lost his interest.

"Let's start out easy," the man began. It turned out to be a lie.

One hour later and the teen had trouble convincing his own body that it wasn't dead. Slade just laughed cruelly at him as the man steered him towards the showers.

"That's what happens when you stop working out," Slade claimed. "It will be easier tomorrow."

"Yes it will, because I'm not doing this again," the teen snorted as he toed his shoes off.

"Yes, you are," the man told him and before Robin knew it, he had helped him pull his sweat soaked T-shirt off. Slade himself was wearing a muscle shirt that was barely damp, even though he had been doing the same things Robin had. The teen hated him. It got worse a second later when Slade undressed him completely and pushed him into the shower. He could barely lift his arms enough to catch himself against the shower wall, and turned around just in time to see Slade drop his own pants. What had before been hinted was now in plain view and the teen was completely unable to look away until the man turned on the shower and the first seconds of ice-cold water distracted him. As soon as it warmed up Slade stepped under the spray and started to scrub Robin down. During all this time the teen had been too dazed to object, but now he tried to pull away.

"Stop!" he ordered. "Get the hell out of here!"

"No. Firstly you should just submit to the fact that I can do anything I want with you," the man told him calmly. "Secondly, I'm doing you a big favor here. I'm going to massage and stretch your muscles in the shower or you'll be too stiff to move later," the man explained. "Feel free to wash your own junk while I do your legs, or I'll get to that later."

Once the man started, Robin had to admit the stretching and careful massage felt good. Well, he admitted it to himself, but would never do the same to Slade. His gasps and low moans might have given it away, though. When the man was done, he left Robin to take care of his own hair while he washed off himself, still in the same shower. Once it came time to dress there was another surprise.

"Where's my suit?" the teen asked, looking at the pile of clothes that had appeared, curtesy of 'Alfred magic'.

"You're not going to wear suits anymore apart from special occasions. The suit drowned you just like the furniture in the office. You looked like you were dressing up as an adult. From now on, you're dressing more your own age."

Robin didn't recognize the clothes, but the dark blue fitted jeans were a perfect fit, as well as the t-shirt with some sort of funky print in blue with a dash of red, and the blazer that made the look a bit dressier without overdoing it. A pair of canvas shoes with a print that picked up some of the aspects from the t-shirt completed the look. Slade studied the result, having dressed in an impeccable suit himself in the meanwhile.

"Good," was the judgement, and then the man ran his hands through the teen's hair. "Style it casual. Don't try to look like a businessman."

"You've made that point, yeah," Robin muttered and made to turn away Slade caught his jaw and forced him to meet his gaze.

"You're not Bruce. If you pretend to be, that's all they will see: someone pretending."

Robin lowered his eyes and nodded. It was a good point, and exactly how he had been feeling; fake. Pretending. Slade seemed to apricate his acceptance as the man ruffled his hair.

"Get ready. Breakfast in twenty."

"Porridge, Alfred?" Robin laughed, seeing what the bowl put down in front of him contained. "If you don't mind, I think I'll have some toast-" he said and reached for the bread basket. "OW!" he stared at Slade who had just slapped his fingers with his egg spoon.

"You eat what you are told to eat. Unsweetened oatmeal with banana, an egg and some fruit," the man told him.

"You're going to tell me what to _eat _as well?" Robin objected.

"When will you wrap your head around the concept that I will control every part of your life?" the man sighed, like the teen was a slow student. "You haven't been taking care of your eating habits, so I'll do that for you."

Robin looked pleadingly up at Alfred, who unfortunately seemed to be on the mercenary's side in this.

"Well, Master Richard, your sugar intake_ has_ been a bit high lately," the butler pointed out.

The teen groaned but started eating. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't what he was craving. He looked over at Slade, who, just to annoy him the teen was sure, was eating a piece of toast with raspberry marmalade. A smirk from the mercenary confirmed it.

"May I at least have coffee?" the teen asked.

"As you ask so nicely," the man said, gesturing to the pot.

"Thanks."

"No sugar. Milk or cream if you want it."

Robin didn't care as long as it was caffeine, though.

It was nine in the morning and Slade was watching the teen carefully. It was completely possible that the boy would try to bolt at any moment, but so far so good. The man expected rebellion, of course, but thought it might be a bit too early for that. The teen was smart, and right now he was 'waiting and seeing'. They were standing outside the conference room and the mercenary put a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"All you need to do is introduce me. There will be an addition in there, act like he's there on your request."

"I wish you had gone through all the details with me instead," the teen hissed.

"I want to see how you think on your feet, how you act without a script. There will be plenty of those in the future."

"You just want to see me suffer," Robin snorted.

"That too."

Robin took a deep breath as Slade opened the door and then held it open for him. The man then followed behind him to the front of the long glass table where sixteen people were already sitting. There was tension in the room, but the teen pretended not to notice. He came to a halt and looked down the table. His face cracked into a smile.

"Lucius, I'm so glad you could make it! Sorry to drag you out of retirement for this,"

"Glad to be here, sir. Always interesting to see what's going on," the old man smiled. "It was a shock to hear about Bruce, but news didn't reach us in Rwanda until two weeks ago, and our work there…"

"I've heard of the charities you decided to take on as a retirement project, and they are more than commendable, but I am very happy to have you back with us for a while," the teen smiled warmly. "And about what is going on, you'll all find out shortly, but first some introductions are in order. This is my new consultant, Slade Wilson. You have probably heard of him?" the teen asked just for the pleasure of seeing a few nods. He made sure to remember who had nodded. "He, very much like Mr. Lucius Fox here, is known across the pond for having a knack in helping companies back on their feet. Now, we're not in a situation as serious as Mr. Wilson is used to dealing with, but I welcome his expertise, as I hope you will as well. Now, Mr. Wilson, you already know of Mr. Lucius Fox, of course, and I assume you have read the reports about the others, but here they are in person." Robin took a breath as he was about to rattle off quite a long list. "Rachel Cooper, Wayne Entertainment. Evelyn Brooks, Wayne Research Institute. Brian Carter, Wayne Technologies. Clara Dunn, Wayne Security. David Jacobs, Wayne Foods. Lisa Schmidt, Wayne Steel. Alfonso Martinez, Wayne Shipping. Blake Peterson, Wayne Yards. Amy Clark, Wayne Industries. Andrea Simmons, Wayne Biotech. Walter Henderson, Wayne Aerospace. Janet Burton, Wayne Medical. Rick Lee, Wayne Electronics. Pete Burke, Wayne Construction, who you spoke to on the phone yesterday, and last but not least; Dennis Johnson, Wayne Chemicals."

"Pleased to meet you," Slade told them. They didn't quite seem to return the sentiment. Robin understood them; if management brought in people like this it usually meant revisions, evaluations and maybe downsizing as well. He himself had no idea what Slade intended to do. It was time he found out.

"I will now leave the word to Mr. Wilson," he said and gestured to the man that the floor was his before sitting down on a free chair at the head of the table.

Two hours later everyone left the room looking quite a bit happier. Some were holding doughnuts that had been served half way through, Robin, however, had gotten sliced fruit and pretended that was what he had ordered.

Slade closed the door, leaving the two of them alone.

"Well?" he asked the teen.

Robin stood up, stretched and groaned in discomfort. His overworked muscles had stiffened up by him sitting still too long. "It sounds good. Basically, business as usual with an added recruitment of someone who would take Lucius' old position as CEO and President."

"Do you know why he wasn't replaced?" Slade asked. "It seemed to have been a personal decision of Bruce's?"

"I think…" Robin said slowly, still absentmindedly stretching. "I think, though I'm not sure, that Bruce was thinking of, little by little, retire Batman. He was feeling his age, and figured he'd have the time to actually run the business instead of being more or a figurehead. We also spoke a few months ago about me interning this summer, so…"

"He might have meant the position for you? Train you to take over?"

"At least prepare me, yeah."

"It would have been a good plan, easing you into it," Slade concluded and Robin gave him a small smile of gratitude. It meant a lot to him to hear someone say something nice about Bruce who didn't really have anything to gain from it.

"So… are you taking the position, or…?" Robin asked.

"Me? Hell no, this is a project, not a commitment," Slade snorted. "Is there someone on the board you'd personally recommend?"

"I… don't know them well enough. I just have hunches."

"And those hunches say?"

"Not Pete."

Slade laughed. "Very well. As this is something you will have to live with, I will allow you to have the final say… unless you're wrong."

Robin snorted. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Slade smirked, ignoring the sarcasm.

The man had studied the teen as Robin had stretched before him, unknowingly showing off his body. Slade was absolutely sure it was unknowingly. In some ways the boy was still very innocent and for him to try to use his physique to entice him was laughable. But enticing it still was. Slade made a mental note to not push the boy quite as hard in future workouts, until he had regained some strength. Might do more harm than good.

The day went on with Slade picking out the new furniture for the office, including a desk for himself. He only asked for Robin's opinions on the chair where the teen got to choose between two slightly different ones. The furniture would be delivered the same afternoon, so Robin got the task of clearing out his desk before the movers got there. After that, they moved to a smaller, empty office to be out of the way when it all was set up. Slade went through numbers and reports faster than the teen could ever dream of, and Robin himself got small, manageable tasks to do. He felt like an intern, but also didn't have the confidence to ask for more. Slade, however, always explained what he was doing and why and for the first time Robin started to see how it all fit together.

They had a meeting with Lucius in the afternoon and the former pensioner presented his ideas for the upcoming months. Robin didn't have to pretend to know what he was doing to the same extent with Lucius, but he was still careful when pretending that Slade was working for him and he had the deciding vote.

"We've had offers for Wayne Entertainment," Lucius told them. "Lex-Corp specifically are interested in the branches in Metropolis."

"We own the Daily Planet," Robin said, giving Slade a very pointed look. "He'd be interested in that… for propaganda reasons," he added.

"Of course," the man nodded. "How much?" he asked.

"It's not for sale!" Robin objected, getting a cold look from the mercenary.

"It's good to know what's on the table even if we're not interested," the man told him, a hidden warning in his voice.

Robin gave a short nod and looked over at Mr. Fox expectantly.

"It's a shameful one, but large enough to maybe sound enticing to an… less experienced businessman," Lucius said, carefully.

Robin grinned. "Just say it: kid. I'm here to learn from you… and Mr. Wilson," he added a bit reluctantly. The old man nodded, looking pleased. He and Bruce had been rather close even though he didn't know about Batman, and Robin had met him as Richard enough times to consider him a sort of family friend. If he could trust anyone in all this it was Lucius Fox.

"Speaking about Lex Corp, I heard Mr. Luthor himself has RSVP'd to your annual fundraiser cocktail party next week," Lucius said.

Robin blinked, having had no idea, and he glanced at Slade to which this also seemed to be news.

"He did? I… haven't been through the guestlist, yet… there's a standing invitation to all major companies to send representatives, but…" Robin said.

"I heard from his secretary when I asked for specifications on the proposal," the old man answered. "It will be a good opportunity for you to introduce yourself."

"I… yes. Yes, I assume so," Robin nodded and he desperately wondered if he could hide behind Slade for the evening.

"Back to business, Mr. Wayne was hoping you could handle finding candidates for your position," Slade cut in. "You know the job; you know what it takes and you will be in charge of their training. I think it's wise to keep this small. Headhunt, if you wish, within and outside of the company. When you've found a few suitable candidates, we'd like a presentation of them."

"Would an internship, to judge who's most suitable, be allowed?" the man asked.

"If you must, but the sooner we have our man, or woman, the better. Mr. Wayne will need very competent advice in the years to come. He won't decide his own role in the company until he turns twenty-one, but he insists on being a part of it and learn it up until that time."

The twenty-one thing was news to Robin but he nodded anyway. He also liked the idea as it gave him some time to consider all his options. He just hoped Slade wouldn't be around for that long.

Later in the afternoon Robin was getting restless. They were back in his office which now looked different. Younger. The teen liked it, he had to admit, he definitely felt more at ease. Slade was sitting by his desk working intently on something, so intently that he hadn't commented on Robin walking over to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows that made up the outer corner walls and looking down. There was a park there, and the teen knew about something in that park. He hadn't been there often, but two times this month, and a few times during his visit last summer. Specific things, specific feelings, made him feel the pull again. He glanced over at Slade. He could play this in one of two ways. He decided on a strategy and set his plan in motion.

"Sir?" It never hurt to be polite.

"Yes?"

"I have a headache; I wouldn't mind some fresh air. Could we take a quick walk through the park?"

He saw the man glance up at him and then back at the screen. "I'm busy."

"Yeah…" Robin turned back towards the window again, rubbing his head a bit like he was trying to relieve some tension. "I'm not allowed to go on my own, right? Twenty minutes tops?"

"Go, but you're on the clock. Get me some coffee on the way back. You can have some too, no sugar."

"Thanks!" Robin grinned and slipped away. He shrugged off his blazer once he got out of the office and put it on the visitor's coat hangers. There he also picked up something he had tucked away there for these kinds of things; a beanie and some sun glasses. In the elevator he transformed from neatly dressed to 'just threw some clothes on' and was extra glad for the jeans and t-shirt now. He crumpled up the t-shirt a bit, tucking it in here and there, so it looked messy.

He didn't dawdle but went straight through the park to an area that was a bit less populated. He headed towards a public restroom. There were a few people hanging around outside and the teen withdrew a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket and held it just discreetly enough in his hand when he entered. He went to the booth at the very end and waited. Soon someone entered the booth next to him and he saw a couple of fingers 'accidentally' poke through a very strategically placed hole. Robin might be a virgin in the traditional sense, but he wasn't innocent. He had needs too, and this type of meet-up place was something he had discovered years ago back in Jump. He fished his member out, slipped a condom on the hardening shaft and pushed it through the hole. Soon a warm mouth was engulfing it, sucking greedily, and Robin threw his head back, waiting for the relief he so craved. He had had rather impure and very unwanted thoughts about Slade all day, after having woken up as he had, and after that shower, and he needed his libido under control again. At the same time, he knew that touching himself would only make it worse. These things, however, tended to drain him for longer. It took him a while to start to climb towards his climax, as he had been so tense, but finally it was beginning to happen. Then suddenly the booth door, though it was locked, was thrown opened, almost off its hinges.

"You little idiot!" Slade growled.

As he quickly tucked himself in, Robin almost wished it had been the police. The fact that it could have been, or that someone could have recognized him, was something Slade berated him for on the drive back to the manor. Robin had been taken directly to the car with a painful grip on his arm that would leave bruises and, once the car stopped, Slade grabbed him again and dragged him inside.

Slade had known the teen didn't have a headache, he had not seen any sign of tension or pain, which meant that the boy was lying. He was curious what he would do, and had decided to allow him to slip away, only to follow him from a distance. It had clearly been the right thing to do.

"What in the world…?" Alfred said, looking up from dusting something valuable in the hallway.

"Your kid made a huge mistake. Don't mind the screaming you'll hear shortly, I'm going to deal with it," Slade snarled as he dragged the teen with him up the stairs.

Robin tried struggling, digging his heals in, yelling and cursing at the man, but it was like he wasn't there. Slade didn't even seem to be bothered by any of it, and didn't let him go until they had reached his bedroom, where Slade threw him on the floor.

"Don't get up."

Robin did. He was grabbed and thrown down again, harder this time.

"Don't. Get. Up," he was told once more.

Did Robin listen? No. He was sick of this and decided to attack the man. He was swatted away and once again ended up on the floor, and this time he had to stay there for a while to get his breath back.

"Is that your usual haunt? Spent a lot of times on your knees in there?" Slade sneered at him.

"I don't give them!" Robin growled, "I just receive. I'm a top," he added, to try to drive the point in. Slade, however, just looked at him, stunned for a few seconds, and then threw his head back and laughed derisively. Robin tried to get on his feet but had only managed to get to his hands and knees when an almost lazy kick sent him down again. "You? A top?" the man chuckled. "Maybe one day, kid, but trust me, right now anyone at the office, even your own secretary, could bend you over your desk and fuck you to their heart's content."

"Fuck you!" Robin snarled and received a kick to his middle hard enough to make him roll over.

"Poor little rich boy," the man sneered down at him. "Shall I tell you what you did today? Because you could only think about your own needs? You didn't see the one who sucked you off, did you? Let me tell you something then; he looked to be barely fifteen. Of the twenty bucks you would have given him, his pimp would have taken at least half. Tonight, he'll probably just get a beating and none of those nice drugs that make his pain go away again until he's sold again tomorrow. I wonder what he would have thought of being sold to a hero? Someone who was supposed to protect him? Fight crime? Shall we go find him so you can say sorry, little hero? Or so you can fuck his mouth again and pay him this time?"

Robin stared up at the man in horror.

"I… I didn't think… I thought… that if you went there… you… you _wanted_… they… they were all adults, I… I…"

"You paid for sex. Prostitution is still a crime, did you believe it was a victimless one? As soon as you went in, a pimp whistled and your little pleasure giver came running, eager to stay alive for another day. All because you were frustrated after staring at my cock for so long."

"I haven't!"

"Good boys don't tell lies, Robin. And you stare much too intently for a top. But if you want it so bad… to make you understand your victim better…" the man started unzipping his fly.

"No!" Robin backed away, crawling, and found himself in a corner with the man towering over him. "I… I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I-"

"Damn right you won't do it again, because if you do, Robin, then I will take you down there, and we won't leave until you have earned me a thousand dollars. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Yes, I do, I'm sorry!" the teen pleaded, his eyes shifting between the man's face and where his hands were still resting next to his open fly.

"Good. Then blow me and you're forgiven," the man said and reached in through the fly to pull himself out.

"No! No, you can't make me do that!"

Slade looked down into horrified eyes. Horrified, but still with a glimpse of resentment and objection; the boy didn't think he deserved this kind of punishment. It was one thing to beg not to be punished, that was natural, but to not admit that the punishment was justified was something the man couldn't accept.

"I could beat you," he said and saw the young man's eyes shift into something that was close to hopeful. "Whip you," he added and the eyes turned more guarded. The boy obviously knew the pain that would cause. "But an eye for an eye. You had no problems shoving your dick into the mouth of that young boy, and now you have to take his place." Finally, there was an indication of understanding and acceptance in the teen's eye, a reluctant one, but it was there.

"There's… there's condoms in the night stand," the teen mumbled. Slade fished his cock out and smirked down on him.

"You're not getting one."

Robin swallowed hard and almost gagged when the man's large member was released and nearly slapped him in the face.

"Sit up straighter, you're going to need it," the man ordered him and Robin reluctantly did as he was told. "Finish me off. You're not going to quit until you do, so it's up to you how long this is going to last."

That gave the teen some hope. He usually only lasted a few minutes, at most, depending on how hard up he had been. He was sure Slade couldn't possibly last much longer.

The initial touch and taste were the hardest to overcome. It wasn't particularly bad, but there was a humiliation involved that far outweighed anything he had experienced so far. A very small part of him, very deep down, was… excited. He hated himself for that. Still, he had a job to do, preferably quickly, and he knew how to do it. Well, he had had it done to_ him_. He tried. He scratched the man with his teeth in the beginning, not quite sure how to cover them, and Slade retaliated by grabbing his hair firmly in a silent warning. The teen whimpered from the pain but struggled to do better.

"You're not very good at this, are you?" the mocking question came ten minutes later. Robin's jaw ached so bad it had almost locked up. His face was covered in saliva, tears and precum. He looked up pleadingly at the man, mouth filled until the head poked at the opening to his throat, eyes brimming over. "Pathetic," Slade snorted and took a new grip on his hair. "I guess I have to finish this by my own."

Robin thought that meant the man would let him go, but was surely mistaken. Instead the mercenary pushed in further. Impossibly far. The teen's airways closed and he couldn't breathe. The man now had a vice-like grip on his head and pulled out a little, only to push back in even further. Robin desperately fought his own gag-reflex while the man's pace and depth only increased until the teen was sure the man was going to kill him. He almost lost consciousness before he learned that he could get a quick breath of air through his nose as the man pulled back out, and that was just barely enough. After what felt like forever the man's movements became more erratic, though, and shorter thrusts meant less time to get air. The teen saw spots in front of his eyes when he suddenly felt the man withdraw and something else filled his mouth. A hand stopped him from spitting it out.

"Swallow. Or I'll do it again."

Robin swallowed.

_To be Continued…_

A/N: I want this story to be recognizable as one of my works but still have a few new and maybe unexpected elements to it. I'm not sure how people will feel about what Robin did in the park, but I'm basically playing around a bit with him not being a perfect hero type… 😉


	3. Chapter 3: Losing Control

A/N: Next week there will be a delay of one or two days, as I'm going on vacation… so update late Thursday or Friday.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 3: Losing Control**

Slade tucked himself in and gave the trembling boy on the floor a contemptuous glare.

"Clean yourself up, you look like shit. Then go down to Alfred and have him fill you in on the details regarding that cocktail party. I'll be in the office."

As Slade left, he wasn't very worried about the teen's state of mind. You didn't survive being a hero since childhood if you couldn't rationalize something like this. With all the horrors Robin had seen and been through, he would have been broken by now if his brain, in self-preservation, hadn't come up with reasons and explanations for it all. It didn't bother the man that he had added to this burden, although a fleeting thought came to mind; was this how_ he_ rationalized it? He snorted. He shouldn't have to go further than that it had felt good, that was enough for him. And it would have taught the kid a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

Robin leaned over the toilet. He had had a moment of nausea, but nothing had come up. He went to wash his face but then that wasn't enough he took a shower instead. He was covered in cold sweat. He then dressed, but chose a pair of jeans and t-shirt from his own clothes, putting the others in the laundry.

"Master Richard, I was worried!" Alfred called out when he saw him. Robin took a breath to steady himself, stopping himself from breaking down. He had done something awful. He had been punished. That was that.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," he lied. Before the man could ask any follow up questions Robin hurriedly continued. "Could I get all the details for the cocktail party, please? Slade needs to know; I don't think he knew about it before."

"Of course, let's go through it and I have the social calendar ready for you with all the traditional gatherings and fundraisers marked in. You can of course change it, if you wish…"

"Let's try to keep to it this year," Robin said. "It's probably good business sense to… pretend that everything is proceeding as normal."

"Very astute, Master Richard. Well, if you'll come with me?"

Half an hour later Robin knocked on the door frame to Bruce's, well he supposed it was his now, home office. The door was open but the teen didn't dare enter unannounced. Then again, he never did so when Bruce had been alive either. One of the house rules. Slade looked up from some papers. He was sitting at the desk, no need to pretend who was in charge in private.

"Enter."

"I have the information about the party," Robin said, having trouble meeting the man's eye.

"Good, let's hear." Slade put the papers aside and his full concentration was on the teen. "Why a cocktail party, by the way? Isn't that kind of… dated?"

"Tradition." Robin answered glad to know something the man didn't for once. "In fact, it was started by Bruce's parents and, in their memory, it is held in 50's style. It supports a different charity each year, this year it's the Gotham libraries. We can expect around fifty guests, I have the list and yes, Luthor is on it. There will be a live band, cocktails and hors d'oeuvre, of course, all with a 50's influence. We'll be in the main ballroom and the adjoining rooms as well as the veranda. Friday at seven. Staff will be circling for people to make donations. I'm supposed to give a short welcome speech." He added the last thing with a grimace.

"Good. We'll make sure that makes an impact," Slade nodded.

Robin groaned; he was afraid of that. "Anyway, everything is off course arranged, the invitations were sent out the same day that… that…" The teen swallowed. "The accident," he finished. "And as it's a yearly event we decided not to cancel. Well… Alfred claims so, I'm not sure I remember us talking about it."

"It would have been understandable but it's much too late now. We'll go ahead. One problem, though… Luthor will recognize me."

"Of course," Robin muttered. He had hoped the mercenary might have stayed away from Metropolis, but obviously not. "How about Oliver Queen? He'll be here to represent Queen industries."

"I haven't had much to do with Green Arrow. I'll wear a prosthetic eye just in case the eyepatch gives me away. I was planning on doing that from now on anyway, as we'll end up in the press sooner or later."

"Maybe you should try a bunny suit?"

"Was that sass?"

"No, sir," Robin hurriedly asserted.

"Thought so. Do you know everyone on the list?"

"No?"

"Then your job for now is to do research on each and every one of them. I want both information that is usable for introductions and small talk, and as much dirt you can find, in case we need leverage. You have two hours."

"Yes, sir," Robin nodded and then looked around, realizing he didn't have a place to sit nor a computer. "May I go to the Batcave?"

"Yes, I'll be down there for our pre-dinner workout."

Robin wanted to object as he vividly remembered the morning's torture session, but thought better of it and just nodded. He changed into workout gear on the way down, however, just to be ready.

Two hours for fifty people wasn't a lot of time, but Robin already knew a fair share of them, or at least knew _about_ them, and they were all public figures meaning information that would do for small talk was easy to find. Many of them even had Wikipedia pages. The dirt, however, took more time, but Robin discovered that Bruce must have thought like Slade at some point and the bat computer had quite a few things stored on both friend and foe. Robin didn't have anything like this back in Jump, nor had he ever considered it, and now he wondered if he should tell Cyborg to look into it. The political game affected the Teen Titans as well, after all… Having some leverage, only to be used in the direst of situations of course, could be beneficial. He then felt ashamed of himself for thinking like that. He couldn't even blame it on Slade, the man hadn't been around long enough to influence him and, if Robin got a say in it, he never would.

He had just finished when Slade walked into the cave.

"Done?" the man asked.

"Yes, but with a bit more time I could dig deeper?" the teen said.

"I will read through it tonight and we'll see." The man didn't sound very interested and then nodded towards the gym area. "Over there, now. On the treadmill. Only cardio this time."

Robin felt relieved. He was still really sore after the morning's workout and preferred just to let his body loosen up a bit by running. Swimming would have been better, but even though the cave had a pool with a jet-stream to swim against, the more clothes he could keep on around the man right now the better.

After only forty minutes of running Slade called it quits. The teen headed towards the exit when he was called back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I thought we were done? I'm gonna go shower?" the teen said, feeling a bit anxious about the tone in the man's voice.

"You'll shower with me. Come."

"Slade, please-"

"No arguments."

"Fuck no arguments!" Robin had had enough. "You take over WayneCorp, fine! You make me work out and tell me what to eat and how to dress, fine! I can buy that that's for my 'benefit', but you can't make me do stuff like this!" the teen yelled.

"Can't I?" the man said mildly.

"Not if you're trying to stick to the story that you're 'helping' me," Robin snarled. "Not after pushing your cock down my throat!"

"That's only one of your cavities it's been introduced to," the man hummed, like he pretended to think things over.

Robin backed away, looking livid. "Don't you fucking DARE!" he snarled.

Slade tilted his head to the side, studying the teen closely, trying to judge exactly what he could do, how much he could push him. He knew what he _wanted_ to do, and who was to say that he helping others couldn't include helping himself? At this exact point in time it would be a bad idea, though, and even hinting at it had probably not been beneficial. He decided to deescalate the situation. He shrugged and held out a hand towards the boy, gesturing for him to follow.

"Come now, Robin, into the shower and no more unpleasantries. It has been a long enough day as it is, hasn't it? Why fight this? It's just a shower. I won't touch you; you will have your own stall."

The teen suddenly looked uncertain. Oh, his unmasked eyes were so easy to read. Slade needed to teach him how to hide his feelings, and soon. Robin was clearly too used to a mask, too used to seem stoic as long as he didn't move the rest of his face. Poor boy. Easy prey.

"Then… then why even…. Why even order me to?" he asked,

"Because Alfred would be quite disappointed if you sat down to dinner smelling like a gym rat," the man smirked. "And, because I can. This is a power struggle, Robin. I need to assert dominance over you by giving you these kinds of nonsensical orders. You'll fight them, I'll make you obey in the end, and for every time that happens, I'll break down your resolve just a little bit more. It's easier for you just to go along with it. Keep some of that resolve for something more important."

Robin was tired and maybe Slade's words made more sense than they really should, normally. He didn't even know he had given in until he felt his own shoulders sag.

"Fine," he muttered and shuffled past the man, slightly dragging his feet.

"Smart boy." Slade seemed pleased. Robin didn't _want _the man to feel pleased, but he hoped there would be less of that in the future. Right now, he just wanted a shower and dinner.

He kept a wary eye on the mercenary but Slade appeared focused on his own shower. Robin tore his eyes away from the thing swinging between the man's legs and quickly entered his own booth on Slade's right. Now he finally got some privacy and could relax for a few minutes, until he heard the man's shower turn off.

"Your clothes are on the bench," Slade told him. "I'll see you at dinner."

Robin wanted to yell at the man, asking him what all the fuss had been about if this had been all – a normal shower, something he had taken with Bruce since he was a kid. Well. He never ogled Bruce. Much. Robin made a face of disgust and shook his head. No, he had never ogled Bruce in the same way he looked at Slade, but of course, as a kid and young teen, he had been curious. Had wanted to compare. You know… to see if he was normal. He was immensely thankful that he hadn't had to compare himself to Slade growing up, though, because damn. Inferiority complex, much?

He dried off, pulled on the underwear that was on the pile and took the rest of the clothes under his arm before leaving the shower area. He just hated dressing in there because it was too humid. He checked the time, saw that he had plenty, and went over to check his work one more time. He wondered if he dared do some more research, but figured that Slade would punish him for taking more than his allotted time. He sighed in irritation but decided against it. By now all the moisture on his body had evaporated and he could get properly dressed. Slade, or Alfred, had chosen a pair of slacks and a dress shirt. Nothing uncommon. You dressed for dinner at the Wayne household, unless you had _very_ good reasons not to. Then again, the times both he and Bruce had been present for dinner, and around actual dinner time, had been rather rare. Robin blinked as he realized that, from now on, he'd have dinner here, every night, unless there were other plans. It felt… strange. And a little, little bit like being trapped.

He called the Titans before dinner, not saying anything about Slade. He kept the conversation to what happened on their side and claimed time was up when they asked about him. Then he headed to the small dining room and timed it perfectly as Slade met him right outside.

Dinner was lovely, as usual. Dessert was crème brûlée. For Slade. Fruit for Robin. The teen didn't comment.

"Sir?" he asked as they were finishing up. He wanted something, and it was important.

"Yes?"

"Batman hasn't shown himself out there for a few days now…" the teen started. "I was thinking I should-"

"You need your sleep," Slade interrupted, and Alfred, who was hovering in the background, made an approving sound.

Robin looked over at the man a bit irritably. Alfred never ate with them, not when Bruce was alive and not afterwards. Robin had asked him to, as he felt alone, but all the man had done was stay in the room, keeping him company. It was frustrating, in a way, as the teen considered the man family, but the old butler simply insisted on sticking to the rules. He might not even have shared a pew with the teen at the funeral unless Robin had straight out begged him. It just 'wasn't done'. What apparently _was_ done, however, was agreeing with mercenaries about eighteen-year-old's bedtimes.

"You promised to help keep the illusion up," Robin reminded Slade.

"And I will. I'll go out there tonight. Will be nice to stretch my legs."

"I think people will wonder why Batman suddenly has a beard," Robin said dryly.

"I'll wear one of the full facemasks," the man said, looking at him like he was stupid.

"I can come with! I'd also like to-"

"You 'stretched' enough today, don't you think?" the mercenary said dryly. "You're going to be in bed by ten."

"What do you want me to do until then?" Robin asked, as it was seven-thirty.

"Not sound like a sullen brat would be first on the list," the man smirked. "Read, watch TV, masturbate, do whatever you want. You have the night off."

The teen's cheeks colored a bit. "I could do some additional research on the guests?" he suggested, as he had liked that.

"Very well. But bed by ten."

"Yes sir."

"Mr. Pennyworth, will you make sure he obeys?"

The old man coughed and looked a bit uneasy. "Actually, sir, it's my night off," he explained.

"Late night movie?" Robin smiled at him, knowing the man's routine. Alfred was always there for emergencies, of course, and the teen had learned that you could always knock on his door f needed, but when he was officially off the clock the old man tended to retire to his own rooms or leave the manor altogether, and Bruce had always been careful to try to respect that as much as his works as Batman would allow. Robin wasn't about to change that.

"That was the plan, sir," the old man smiled back.

"I'll be in bed in time," Robin promised the mercenary.

But he wasn't. It was a complete accident, but he had stumbled over some very interesting transactions one of the minor guests had made, that could actually connect to a crime family in Gotham, possibly solving a few cold cases, but tracking those transactions was tricky and completely made him lose track of time and space. When the heavy hand landed on his shoulder, he almost peed himself. Luckily the only thing that came out was a startled yelp, but that was bad enough.

"Busy?" Slade growled. He was wearing most of bat suit, sans mask, cape, glove and belt which he had apparently already taken off.

Robin looked over at the large clock on the wall and paled. "Shit," he mumbled and then looked up at the looming mountain of annoyance that was Slade. "Shit," he repeated. It was close to one at night.

"You better have found something good," the man warned him, and the teen eagerly started to explain, showing Slade how far he had gotten on the trail.

"Alright. To bed. Now."

Robin had more or less expected a beating and was happy to run off ahead. Slade followed him at a more normal pace and when the man entered the bedroom the teen had already brushed his teeth, changed and was under the covers.

"There will be consequences," Slade told him. "But not tonight."

"I really didn't mean to disobey!" Robin pleaded. "I just got caught up, I always get caught up, I'll… I'll set an alarm from now on."

"Good." The man started to undress. "That you are thinking of how to make sure it doesn't happen again is sensible."

"Why… why are you undressing?"

"As you still don't seem to value your sleep, I'm staying with you again."

"But I'm really, really tired! I'll fall asleep instantly!" Robin claimed.

"I'm just making sure," the man told him and, once down to his underwear, climbed into bed with him.

For the second night in a row Robin soon found himself cocooned by the man in a deceivingly gentle hold, considering what Slade had done only that afternoon.

"Are you sure it's not you who can't sleep without a teddy bear?" Robin muttered.

"Boy, an old lady slapped me with a handbag tonight. Really hard. I want to sleep and forget, not getting up to find something to spank your ass with."

"Wait, did she have a red coat? On west and tenth?"

"Yes?"

Robin chuckled. "She has slapped Batman plenty of times. She was always nice to me, though."

"I thought she might need help," the man muttered.

"She gets quite insulted when you ask."

"I noticed."

"We had this bet going on if she was human at all. Bruce once said that he wouldn't be surprised if she ran all the crime syndicates in the whole city. I've even seen the Joker swerve to stay out of her reach when we chased him once."

"It makes me feel a bit better," the man snorted. "Now sleep."

And Robin did.

He woke up pretty much in the same situation as the previous morning, but this time it wasn't quite as much of a shock. Slade's cock really seemed to like it pressed up against his butt. Robin snorted and started to move away to get out of the bed when Slade caught him.

"Stay. You're going to help me out," he was told.

The teen felt his boxers being yanked down and froze.

"S-Slade?" he asked, agitatedly, looking at the man from over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt your precious little hole," the man snorted. "This is how you make up disobeying me last night."

The teen gasped as he felt the man's naked member press between his globes. He barely dared to breathe. Then the man started to move and Robin realized that he was just using the space between his cheeks and thighs to rub off on. Some thrusts grazed and pushed against his opening, though, making it twitch and tingle like it wanted it. Robin bit back a moan as he felt himself harden. He clutched the sheets in front of him, bracing himself against the man's increasingly harder thrusts. The area between his cheeks and thighs started to feel slick now, from the man's precum. He clenched his buttocks and thighs and got an approving grunt from Slade.

"Good boy," the man praised him. "Make it tighter."

Robin tried. He told himself it was to get this over with as soon as possible, but it also felt good. He thought his body which wanted to angle itself towards the thrusts, wanted them to hit their target, wanted to be filled. He heard himself let out a needy whine, and Slade grabbed his hip, quickening his trusts even more. Then suddenly, there was more wetness and heat between his thighs and the man behind him stilled. Three breaths later and Slade stood up and walked into the bathroom. After some time in there the man came back and looked down on the teen with a smug expression on his face. "Gym in twenty minutes. And take care of that thing first," he said, gesturing to the teen's groin. Robin had covered himself up, but the man must have known, or guessed, what was going on under the sheets.

Robin nodded, his face red, and Slade left.

The mercenary was humming happily to himself as he walked down the hallway. It had been a good morning so far. It simply_ was_ easier to piss if you were soft and the boy was just so conveniently _there_.

"Mr. Wilson."

Slade turned his head to see Alfred further down the hall. The old man must have some Batman skills because he moved very quietly when he wanted.

"Good morning, Alfred," the man greeted him jovially.

"I couldn't help but notice that you haven't been sleeping in your bed these past two nights," the butler said, somewhat accusingly.

"Robin needed help to settle," Slade shrugged.

"I know what we talked about… about the… drastic measures, but… there is a limit," the old man told him, giving him a challenging look.

"Is there?" Slade said lightly. "I do things my way, Alfred, and if you disapprove… I still do things my way. The threat I hold over the boy's head is real. It's not in my interest to break him, but other than that… he's mine to play with." The hummed tune turned into a whistled one as the man walked away.

Robin thought Alfred looked worried over breakfast, but as the man didn't say anything or indicated that he needed a word, he let it go. The gym session hadn't been quite as deadly today and he hadn't argued about sharing a shower room afterwards.

"What is on the agenda today?" he asked. "Al? Slade?" It was Saturday, but there were always things to do. Alfred spoke first.

"The groundskeeper has been asking to see you, he and the gardener wants to go through the plans for spring and summer-"

"In February?" Robin groaned.

"That is apparently the right time, or so they claim."

"Alright. Slade? Are you taking over this too?"

"Gardens? No, knock yourself out," the man snorted. "You and I should sit down and go through some tings this afternoon, though."

"May I do more research in the morning, after the meeting with the gardener?" Robin asked.

"I have no other use for you at the moment, so yes."

"Anything else you need me for?"

"Well, I've been putting this off, but… Master Bruce's room… clothes…?"

Robin looked over at Slade, and he actually hoped the man would get involved in this.

"I'm sure there are things you would want to keep, but most clothes won't fit you for years, if ever. Charities? Suits for homeless people looking for jobs? I'm sure there are those kinds of things around," the man shrugged.

"That's a great idea!" Robin beamed. "Alfred?" he asked, just to be sure.

The old man smiled a little at him and nodded. "I think Master Bruce would have liked that. Any more… _personal _clothes, I'll deal with discreetly."

"People might pay a lot for a pair of billionaire's tighty whities," Slade smirked and Robin almost choked on his coffee.

"I think we've found our limit for charity somewhere here," the teen spluttered. Slade only shrugged and went back to looking through the large stack of newspapers on the table. Bruce had liked a selection from across the planet for his weekend reading, not that he hadn't been able to find updated information online but because he enjoyed reading about the smaller events and, Robin suspected, had just liked reading a physical paper. Slade seemed to agree.

"If you would join me after breakfast and look through some items in his rooms," Alfred said. "I'll inform the groundskeeper that your meeting can be at ten."

The teen looked for approval from Slade, and, once he got it, nodded.

Robin's heartrate went up when he entered Bruce's room. He hadn't been here for a long time. I was private, very private, and now… now their owner would never return. He had to swallow back tears when he noticed that the rooms still smelled like him. It was a huge bedroom with bay windows, truly a 'master'. The décor and color scheme were a bit dated and dark, Robin wondered if they had been changed at all since Bruce's parent's time.

"When did… when did he move in here after… after his parents…?"

"Not until he was eighteen," Alfred said. "Then he finally felt ready. Should I prepare the room for-?"

"No! No, I'm … I'm fine in my own," Robin assured.

"Maybe in time," the old man nodded.

"About your room… I…" The old man looked uncomfortable. "I saw Slade leave this morning."

"Oh. Well, yeah. I stayed up too long after all, he found me and… he wanted to guarantee that I slept, he said."

"He… he's not… he didn't…?" The butler took a deep breath. "He's not… hurting you in any way is he? In any… specific… way, I mean?"

"No! No, no, no, nothing like that!" Robin claimed because he'd rather die that admit what had happened to him. Besides, it had all been his own fault. Also, there was nothing poor old Alfred could do about it, and it would make him miserable if he knew. Ignorance was bliss here.

They went though some tings but, in the end, decided to keep the room pretty much as it was for now. Robin didn't want it to be used as a guest bedroom either, or turn it into something else. It didn't feel right. For now, it would become a mausoleum for a father he lost much too soon, the furniture covered in sheets, curtains drawn. Maybe one day it could be opened up again.

"We are thinking of a vegetable garden," the groundskeeper said.

"It is very trendy to grow your own vegetables," the gardener explained, "and anything the house doesn't use can be sold or donated."

"That sounds like a great idea," Robin agreed. "Where did you think of placing it?"

Wayne Manor came with quite a lot of land compared to modern houses. There was a big front lawn and a large formal back garden as well as a part that would probably count as a small forest, where Robin had played quite a bit as a boy. It was to that side the men suggested to put in the new garden and Robin didn't mind. He wouldn't want to change anything about the formal gardens as they had been in place since the current manor was built, many generations ago.

Robin approved their plans but asked them to consult with Alfred about what needed to be grown and how much. Growing vegetables to give to charity in different ways would be great too and it might save the house some money. He needed to look into the economics a bit more at some point. Right now, Alfred had assured him that he needn't worry, but sooner or later it might be time to.

The subject of Alfred came up that afternoon as well, and Robin didn't like it.

"I'm not replacing him!"

"Of course not," Slade scoffed, "that is not what I'm saying. I'm stating a fact, though; he's old. He could potentially drop at any point-"

"DON'T SAY THAT! DON'T FUCKING SAY THAT!" Robin felt his heart ripped to shreds at the mere mention of the possibility and tears were streaming down his cheeks. Suddenly his head snapped to the side from a slap he hadn't even seen coming.

"Pull yourself together, no need for hysterics," the mercenary snorted, lowering his hand.

Robin stumbled to an armchair and sank down into it, mind still reeling. He usually had better control than this, he didn't understand this panic, and that made him panic even more. He suddenly had trouble breathing. He heard Slade talking but couldn't make up the words. He curled up in the chair instead, hugging his knees, looking down at nothing.

"For the love of…" Slade looked down at the boy who was obviously having some sort of panic attack. He, uncharacteristically, felt a little bit guilty for apparently setting it off, but at the same time very annoyed at the teen for not being as stable as he thought. He decided it must have been a combination of clearing out Bruce's things and being reminded that Alfred wasn't immortal that initiated it. He lifted the boy up, and he didn't react. There were a few ways to deal with things like this, and he had seen many cases in wars and otherwise. He might have chosen just to walk away, but the boy's wellbeing was part of the deal and therefor he chose the gentle approach. He took the boy to bed with him, both fully clothes, and placed him in his lap before sweeping the comforter around them. There they sat in a warm cocoon, and Slade started talking to the young man.

"Breathe. You can do it. Follow my rhythm. Breathe in. In. In. Hold. Out. Out. Out. Hold. In, In, In. Hold. Out. Out. Out. Hold." When the teen's breathing stabilized a bit, the man continued. "Alfred is alright. He is not dying. He is not leaving. He's here. Do you understand? Can you talk to me?"

Robin nodded, but didn't make a sound.

"Alright, take things slow, it will be over soon." The man gently pushed the teen's head against his chest. "Listen to my heartbeat. Let me know when you're ready. It's alright."

Slade had once seen a man be in this state for hours after having his friends blow up in front of him. He was willing to give the kid about fifteen minutes. Ten minutes later, however, something about Robin's body changed, he somehow got heavier, and then the man noticed his breathing and snorted. The kid had fallen asleep. Slade stood up and just dropped the teen on the bed.

"Okay, nap time is over, we have work to do."

Robin woke up disoriented and not sure how he got to his bedroom. He looked up at Slade, who was impatiently gesturing for him to get up and follow him back to the office. In a daze the teen did. He sat down in the chair again, and Slade stood in front of him.

"Look," the man said. "We're not murdering the butler in the library with the candlestick."

"We're… we're not?" Robin asked, still not all caught up.

"No, because the bathroom is easier to clean up and snapping his neck minimizes DNA traces."

Robin blinked again but then finally understanding the joke and snorting.

"What I was suggesting was that we need to look into a future replacement, someone that first can help Alfred out and later, MUCH, MUCH later-" Slade added quickly as he saw the teen's eyes widening again, "can replace him when Alfred RETIRES. Alright?"

"Okay… okay… I… Yes. I mean… no one can. Replace him, I mean, but… yeah."

"He's going to need more help around, at least. A whole mansion and one indoor staff member…"

"Yes. You're going to tell him, though."

"I am?" Slade asked, his eyebrow raised. Robin's gaze was deadly serious, however.

"You can beat me to a pulp, there's no way I'm even going to BREECH the subject," the teen claimed.

"I guess I have to choose my battles as well…" the man sighed, because he didn't doubt the young man's words. "Fine."

Robin gave him a quick smile of sorts. And then sighed deeply. "What… what happened to me? What was that?"

"You've never had a panic attack before?" the man asked.

"Was it one of those? No… No… at least nothing like that… I've always been able to… hold it back."

"Good, then try harder again."

Robin looked up at the man and Slade had a small smirk on his face, the only sign that he might be joking. Robin smiled back and the smirk grew, confirming it. The teen then snorted and nodded.

"Good," Slade said. "So… to the rest of the business…"

It took all evening, until dinner, and afterwards Slade was enjoying a brandy in the small sitting room in front of a roaring fire, while Robin was curled up in the opposite chair, reading.

"Mr. Pennyworth, I need a word," Slade said as the butler came in, checking on them

Robin swallowed. This… might get ugly.

"A very good idea, I was going to suggest it myself," Alfred said, just a few minutes later.

Robin gaped for a second and then piped up, "But we'll never find anyone!"

"As a matter of fact, I have a great nephew who has a hotel management degree and has also taken classes at the British Butler Institute-"

Robin burst out laughing. Alfred looked perplexed. "Master Richard? What's so funny?"

The teen stopped laughing and blinked. "I… uh… that wasn't a joke? It's a real thing?"

"It certainly is! No such thing was used in my day, of course, then you started as a houseboy, and-"

"So you have a candidate? Lovely. Contact him as soon as possible." Slade interrupted.

"I'll write him tonight," Alfred nodded.

Now it was Slade's turn to chuckle and get a questioning look.

"There are phones now. And email," the mercenary pointed out.

The old man drew himself up. "Sir, there are some offers too important to not put to paper properly."

Slade gave him a long look, but the old man's gaze held fast so in the end the mercenary only sighed and shrugged. "Fine. It better not be by bloody pony express, though," he muttered.

"Of course not," the butler sniffed. "Those poor horses having to swim that far? I'll send it by pigeon. Was that all, Sir?"

Robin was still laughing long after the butler had left the room.

A/N: see you next week! Remember: a bit late. What do you think so far, by the way…?


	4. Chapter 4: Spin Control

**A/N: **Back from holiday, updating story within 30 min of getting through the door… is that dedication or what? 😉 Well, I ordered pizza first, because I'm starving. I love you, my readers, but compared to pizza…? Come on! Don't be unreasonable… 😉

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 4: Spin Control**

Sundays were normally Alfred's full day off, unless there was something specific that needed to be done, and the man ventured into the city for a while. Robin spent more time in the kitchen than he wanted, simply because Slade felt that he was the one who should do the cooking and cleaning. Sandwiches apparently wasn't an option, so the teen had a lot of work on his hands. He now fully agreed that Alfred needed someone to help out.

Between meals he was still working with Slade, going through the company, the numbers and the existing plans, and he now felt that he knew it all better than he had ever dreamed possible, in such a short amount of time. He actually felt grateful to Slade, although it was difficult to admit. Actually, it was more like he was feeling guilty about the positive feelings. The man was blackmailing him and abusing him, but- Robin shook his head irritably and glared angrily at the pasta sauce he was stirring. His feelings were too confusing right now.

"Pasta? How glamourous," Slade said behind him.

Alright, maybe his feelings could just be hate, Robin quietly decided.

"It's what I can make. I'm not a chef," he said tensely.

"I've noticed. Hurry up, we have more things to go through tonight," the man told him. Robin desperately missed Alfred.

That night he got some free time before their workout and decided to train a bit, doing what he enjoyed. Bruce had an old wooden sparring dummy, basically a log with wooden arms. It was mounted on a pole which it swiveled on. If you hit one of the wooden 'arms' it swung around and you needed to block the arms from that side. It also had a low set 'leg' that could swipe your feet off from under you if you weren't careful. The aim was not only to block quickly but also to hit the painted circles that represented the face and the solar plexus of the 'doll'. Robin had used modern ones, with padding, but this was the one he had grown up with. It hurt, but you learned. He started out slowly. Ten minutes later he was going full speed, however. This was more about reflexes than anything else and those, at least, didn't seem to have deteriorated.

He saw something moving in on him out of the corner of his eye. With his training he could always tell if it was a benign presence, like a teammate, or a threat. This was a threat. He jumped up, avoiding what turned out to be a low kick that would have sent him sprawling, and whipped around, striking out with his foot.

"Good one," Slade said, rubbing the side of his face. Anyone else and they would have been unconscious by now.

"Thanks," Robin smirked. He knew, instinctively, that he had been allowed to defend himself and that he wouldn't be punished for this.

Slade was wearing gym gear and the teen realized it was time for their session.

"How about we start out on the mats?" the man suggested, gesturing to the sparring area close by.

"Doesn't have to be mats for my sake," Robin smirked. "Do your best."

Slade _did _do his best, which meant Robin ended up on the floor more times than not, but the teen applied himself as well and would have caused some deep bruising if the man hadn't healed so fast. It was rather unfair. Still, it was fun.

"There, you should quit while you're losing," Slade eventually told him.

"Isn't it 'quit while you're ahead'?" Robin asked, stumped.

"Yes, but that makes a hell of a lot less sense. Why would you quit if you're about to win? No, quit when you're losing but before you're dead."

"I'll… try to remember that."

"Good boy."

"You two haven't ruined my kitchen, have you?" Alfred suddenly asked. The two fighters turned towards him and Robin grinned at the man.

"Nope, it should all be in order," he said.

"It better be, young man. Good night. Don't stay up too late."

Robin checked the time and his eyes widened.

"Time flies," Slade commented.

"Sure does." Robin gave him a small smile. It had been an entertaining training session and it reminded him of the old days… the old days from a little over a month ago. The teen suddenly realized something.

"I don't think I can ever be a businessman. Not really," he sighed. The adrenalin rush from the sparring had made that clear to him.

"Then do what Bruce did and let people manage most of it for you. But first you're going to learn. You can decide when you're twenty-one."

"If I don't die of boredom before then," Robin muttered.

"If you die, it's more likely to be assassination," the man shrugged.

"I'm a business man, not a godfather!" Robin objected.

"A businessman in Gotham, full of godfathers who would want to move into your areas."

"Oh, thank you. Lovely thought."

"If it's any consolation, I won't take the job."

"Good."

"Unless they pay really well."

Robin glared at the man who tried to look innocent and then gestured to the showers.

"Victims first," he smirked.

After the shower, Slade ordered him to have a healthy snack and go to bed. Robin did, with the addition of calling the Titans for a short chat. He knew he should try to distance himself from that life; it just wasn't his anymore, but they were still his friends and he missed them terribly. He fell asleep thinking about them.

He woke up at some point from the door creaking softly. He looked up but it was closing. Someone had been in to check on him. Slade or Alfred, he couldn't tell, but he knew who had the bigger control issues…

He was woken up early for the, by now, usual workout.

"If you just tell me when to meet you in the gym, I can set my own alarm," Robin grumpily muttered as Slade barked the 'get up!" order from the door, scaring the teen half to death.

"You need to trust that I'll take care of all of that," the man smirked. "You're not allowed to be independent like that yet."

"And why not?"

"Because you run off and get blow jobs from little boys," Slade stated as-a-matter-of-fact, making Robin look slightly green. The teen ducked his head and that was the end of that discussion.

The week went by. It was a steep learning curve for Robin and he tried to focus on that instead of the loss of the little freedom he had had. Slade controlled everything from when he woke up to when he went to bed. The teen was glad he didn't have a bathroom schedule as well, but was afraid to joke about it just in case the mercenary would think it was a good idea. The man was always wearing a prosthetic eye now, just like he had said, and didn't stand out quite as much. Well. A little bit less, at least. When sitting down. In a dark corner.

When they arrived at the office on Thursday, there was something different in the air.

"Why are all the women smiling and saying thank you?" Robin whispered to the mercenary as they walked down a corridor.

"Because you sent them all roses."

"And why the hell did _"I"_ do that?!" the teen hissed.

"It's Valentine's day."

"Oh. Fuck."

"If you insist."

"With all due respect," Robin growled. "Shut up."

"Not enough respect," Slade chuckled and cuffed the back of his head in a way that would seem teasing and friendly if anyone was watching, but that actually stung.

"Ow! Is this even ok? I might be sued for sexual harassment! And I'm gay!"

"Speaking of that… you're not out of the closet, are you?" the man said, just as they entered Robin's office.

"Of course I…. wait… no, I mean… I guess maybe Richard isn't… I haven't hidden it, but it's like… who would I tell? Oh, goddammit…" the young man had just spotted his desk and it was covered in bouquets and parcels which looked to be containing chocolate or similar treats. There was even a heart shaped balloon.

"Good morning Mr. Wayne," Caroline Crown greeted him as she entered the room with even more flowers. "They have been arriving since seven, according to security. I didn't quite know what to do with them all."

Robin, for once, enjoyed turning to Slade.

"We'll go through them," the man said. "Arrange for a press conference at three. A personal message on Valentine's from Richard Wayne."

The teen tried to stifle a groan, wondering what the man had in mind now.

That very afternoon Robin found himself coming out of the closet in front of a large part of Gotham's journalists. It wasn't an "I'm gay" statement, oh, no, it was a sappy speech about how he hoped the citizens of the city could share in their love and donate to the Gotham libraries, which was the charity the party he was holding tomorrow was supporting. The out of the closet thing happened, as planned, when the journalists got to ask questions. Of course they cared nothing for the charity but wanted some personal statements.

A lot of hands were raised, questions pummeling him. Robin locked eyes with a man in the crowd.

"Smith, you get the first one."

The man looked surprised that Robin knew his name, but Slade had had him cram for an hour and he knew most of the people in the room by name and company. Smith represented the Gotham Gazette and Bruce usually let him have the first question according to Slade. Robin himself hadn't known and had no idea how Slade did, but he went with it.

"Are you taking some special lady to dinner tonight?" the man asked.

Robin faked a smile. "If I would take someone special out to dinner it would be a guy," he said. "But no. I'm not dating anyone at the moment."

The room erupted. The teen could practically feel the questions hitting him at that point and patiently answered a few of them until a woman from one of the lowest ranking gossip rags screeched from the back:

"Were you and Bruce in a relationship?"

The room went weirdly quiet. Everyone in there made their living asking difficult questions, as part of the democratic process, and all of them wanted to know all the sordid details they possibly could and still there seemed to be a general consensus that a line had been crossed.

Robin's smile was long gone, his eyes cold, his mouth a thin line.

"Bruce Wayne was like a father to me," he growled. Low, so the room needed to stay quiet. "I am gutted by his passing. I want to ask you how you can have the audacity to ask me something like that, but I know your _rag_, Miss Newman, so I shouldn't be surprised. To make things clear, then; Bruce was heterosexual. No, he never got the chance to marry, he was a busy and just hadn't been able to find the love of his life yet. He knew about my sexuality and had no problems with it. I think he knew before I did. He always supported me, he always-" Robin took a deep breath. An another. "He was a good man. He did more for this city than you will ever know. I will try to keep that up, try keeping all the charities he worked so hard for going… No more questions."

Robin stalked back to his office from the press room with Slade in tow. The man was silent, but the seething young man only appreciated that. Once they were alone in his office, Robin spun around and faced the mercenary.

"How the hell could those assholes ask me something like that?"

Slade looked surprised for once.

"You're actually angry?"

"OF COURSE I'M ANGR-" Robin's yelling was cut off with his air supply by a large hand encircling his throat.

"No yelling. Control yourself," the man warned him and let him go. He had only been holding the teen like that for a couple of seconds but Robin still had to gasp for air.

"Of… course… I'm… angry…" he repeated.

"Don't tell me you didn't know they would ask you that?" The man looked at him like Robin had failed to sit down on a chair.

"I… did… not." This time the words came out clipped because he was trying, very hard, not to scream again.

"It was obvious they would make that assumption. I need you to think ahead better next time."

"I messed it up, then?" Robin muttered. Slade had somehow managed to turn his righteous anger into shame for his own actions.

"No, you handled it beautifully. Just enough drama. They will eat this up. We might have to find you a boyfriend too, down the line."

Robin shook his head vigorously. "No. Bruce used women like that sometimes, and I just won't."

"You will if I tell you to. But it might not be beneficial to the plan, and maybe you'll even meet someone you_ want_ to date," the man shrugged. The teen wondered why he didn't press the subject like he tended to do, but decided not to question it or Slade might marry him off to someone before the week was over.

Robin sank down behind his desk, feeling rather defeated. "So… what's next on the agenda? Anything we need to prepare for the party tomorrow?"

"Apart from your speech, Alfred has it all in hand," Slade informed him. Robin had been working on the speech on and off throughout the morning. "However, we have a budget suggestion to go through."

"How incredibly exciting."

"Want me to call the reporters back?" the man asked him, arching a brow.

Robin immediately reached out in Slade's direction, making a 'grabby hands' gesture. "Budget! Budget please! Gimme!"

The man snorted and went over to his desk to collect the folders as Robin snickered a bit.

Slade shook his head at the boy. Mood swings. They weren't just for pregnant women anymore. On the other hand, this was how the boy dealt; shaking things off, making a joke. It was good that he didn't dwell too much.

Robin woke up in the middle of the night from a sudden weight on his chest and grip on his throat. He fought, lashed out, and managed to free himself. As his fist first connected with his assaulter, he, somehow, realized one thing; it wasn't Slade.

"What-?" he grunted as he succeeded in getting up from the bed and face the person. "I… Catwoman?!" Because it was. Not Selina, because she was wearing her full uniform and looking pissed. "What the hell are you doing?!" Robin yelled.

"Teaching you not to rip people's hearts out!" the woman snarled and attacked again.

"What are you talking about? I- Catwoman, please-!" Robin just ducked her, hands up, keeping out of her way. It wasn't all because he wanted to resolve this peacefully, it was mainly because he was just wearing sleeping pants and her claws had ripped through the special material in his uniform once. He didn't want to consider what they could do to naked skin.

"He 'hadn't found the love of his life', had he?" the woman spat. "You're happily telling the world that, on _Valentines_?"

"Holy shit…" Robin just realized how the woman must have felt. "Selina, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. They blindsided me, I just wanted to defend Bruce from their nasty conclusions, please, I didn't think…"

The woman was still tense but had straightened up a bit.

"You haven't even thought about me at all, have you?" she asked, bitterly.

Robin felt ashamed. "I… no, not really… I mean… I knew you were an item sometimes, but… I didn't know if you were when… Oh damn, the funeral, did you-?"

"I was invited. I went."

"Oh, I… good… good old Alfred, he never forgets a thing, does he? Even when… Shit, I'm sorry… I'm really… everything has been…. A lot." Robin sank down on his bed.

"You've barely been out in the city," the woman's voice was somewhat warmer now. Calmer, at least.

"No, I… that life… It's over. For now, at least. I have to focus on his other legacy…" Robin looked up at her. "Do you… do you think that's wrong?"

He didn't get an answer, however, as the door slammed open at that moment. Slade was standing in the door opening, armed and looking pissed. The man's gun was pointing straight at the woman. Robin flew up and threw himself in front of her.

"No! Slade, no!"

"What are you doing here, Selina?" Slade growled.

"I should ask you the same."

"Keeping the pup in his place."

"Behind a desk? That's where he belongs?" the woman sneered.

"Maybe not, but that's where he has to be. For the good of the whole city. Now answer my question. For some reason Robin seems to think that he standing in front of you will somehow be able to stop me from shooting you in the head."

"It was private. We've talked," the woman huffed.

"Slade, please," Robin pleaded tiredly. "Just let her go."

"I don't like him being around, kiddo," Selina said in a low voice.

"Well, join the fucking club," Robin snorted. "But I don't have a choice right now. Slade? Please?"

"After those sweet words…? I'm wondering if I should have you clean her brain matter up with your tooth brush or _lick _it up at this point."

Robin glanced down at the gun. The man's finger wasn't on the trigger anymore. He had probably just joked.

"Charming as ever. Do you rape him too?" Selina snorted.

"No!" Robin objected, decided that what he had been through so far didn't apply.

"Haven't had a reason to yet, but the way the boy is standing up to me…" the man said coldly. The teen took half a step back, towards the woman, and suddenly it seemed that _he_ was seeking protection from _her _instead. It was just a small movement, a subconscious one, but the young man saw the mercenary smirk and hated him for it.

"You are as despicable as ever," Catwoman snarled. Robin agreed fully but didn't dare voice it.

"Step aside, Robin," Slade told him.

"No."

"That was an order."

The teen straightened up. "I am aware. But I won't. I'm not going to let you shoot her."

"As I pointed out, I still could. You are smaller than her."

"Still." Robin took a deep breath. "Please, Slade. This was… like… family business. Nothing to do with whatever your real agenda is."

"Step aside."

"No."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"She left almost a minute ago."

"What?" Robin spun around and yes. No cat burglar, only an open window.

"Still feeling like it was worth it?" the man chuckled behind him. Robin felt cold, and it wasn't because of the breeze.

"Yes. I forgot her. She's grieving too, and I… I didn't even realize."

"I'm sure his death broke plenty of hearts," Slade snorted. He walked over to the teen's bed and sat down on it, creating a knot of fear in the young man's stomach. "Come here," the man said, patting his lap.

"Wh-what? Why?"

"Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you. You know what this is. Do you really want to drag it out, or get it over and go back to sleep?"

Robin actually considered jumping out the window instead, but then sighed and walked over to the man, reluctantly. When he was within reach Slade grabbed his arm and pulled him down across his lap. The teen was held there as the man pulled down his sleeping pants.

"No! Don't!" Robin objected, trying to get free.

"Skin on skin, that's the way I do it," the man told him and seemed to have no problem holding him still.

The teen drew breath to object again, but choked as the first slap caught him by surprise. It stung, sending shockwaves of pain through his whole body, but the pain also instantly died away, only to be followed by more as the next slap landed. The teen was hanging helplessly across the man's legs, unable to find any support and the blows kept coming, making him gasp and eventually cry out. Suddenly the man stood up, with Robin falling to the floor.

"There. Go back to bed. You got away easy only because I need you to be able to walk normally at the party tomorrow, understood?"

"Y-yes," Robin gasped, trying to find the strength to pick himself up.

"You will apologize to me tomorrow morning. Goodnight."

Slade had already left the room when Robin managed to get back into bed. His behind stung and the skin felt scalding hot but it was the idea of apologizing that left the worst taste in his mouth as he struggled to fall asleep.

The next morning Slade woke him up for the gym as usual and the teen decided to get it out of the way.

"I'm sorry for last night," he mumbled.

"Save it for later, no time now," the man told him. "Focus on core today, run a mile as warm up."

Robin just nodded and got to it. Later, in the shower, the man suddenly called out to him.

"Are you done?"

"Yes, just about?" Robin answered as he rinsed out his hair.

"Good. Come over here. I'm ready for the apology."

The bad feeling in his stomach was confirmed when Robin turned around to see the man standing in the middle of the changing room, naked and hard.

"Please-" the teen began, but the man just pointed to the floor in front of him.

"Now. You intentionally disobeyed a direct order, multiple times. You're not getting off easy. Though you'd better hope I do…" the man added thoughtfully. "Don't make us late for breakfast, boy, or Alfred might come down looking for us."

The teen forced himself to kneel in front of the man, and start pleasuring him. Slade kept running his hand through his hair like he was praising an obedient dog.

"Now, no glaring," the man said, his grip in Robin's hair tightening. "I want you to look like you're really sorry for what you did, or this isn't a real apology, is it? Then you might have to apologize again in the office. Ah, that's it… a bit less anger, a bit more fear… I'll take it."

The idea that the man would start using this kind of excuse to get blow jobs made Robin try a bit harder so Slade couldn't complain. It didn't take that long for it to be over, but long enough for the teen's jaw and knees to start to hurt. He grimaced at the taste in his mouth but Slade just chuckled at the sight.

"Good. You may get dressed," Slade said after the teen stayed on his knees, waiting for permission to stand.

Robin held back a snort. He completely understood why Slade would go for this kind of punishment -no, not punishment; _apology_, that was important- it was embarrassing for the teen and enjoyable for the man. Robin understood it perfectly. That didn't mean he liked it, though, and he didn't want to have to do it again, but, if Slade had really meant to shoot Selena, it had been worth it. He suspected Slade only had tested his obedience, however, but as he couldn't be sure…

They worked for half a day only as they needed to get ready for the party in the evening. Once home Robin was instructed to take Slade through the notes he had made on their guests and he had apparently done a passable job. The man then went back to what he had been busy with all day; looking over the mansion's security. He didn't like that Catwoman had been able to get in, and Robin told him that Bruce must have left a 'back door' open for her in their security. The man was busy finding that weakness and Robin had a rather relaxing afternoon as a result, mentally going through the short welcome speech he had to hold.

They had a very light meal around five and then inspected the preparations for the party. A string quartet were setting up in the corner of the big ball room, an open bar was being stocked, the ones in charge of actually collecting donations were figuring out some minor technical issues and someone was setting up an ice sculpture on the punch table. There were a lot of people running back and forth and most of them too busy to even notice them, some just giving the host a nod. In the middle of it all was Alfred as some sort of conductor of it all, and he was really in his element. Robin smiled when he saw him, and even Slade nodded approvingly.

Most of the house was closed off, by actual locked doors or, like the stairwell, by velvet ropes with signs saying 'private'. You could never be sure that people would respect those signs, though, so the teen made sure to make sure the doors upstairs were locked too.

After that it was time to get ready. Robin took a long, leisurely shower in preparation for the night to come. He knew it would be tiering, and that he would have to smile a lot, laugh at unfunny jokes and generally be a good host. He still didn't want to act too much unlike himself like Bruce tended to do, but he needed to talk to Slade about that. He dressed in the required tuxedo, as it was supposed to be a vintage cocktail party, and grudgingly wondered if he couldn't upgrade the dress code for next year. He put that thought aside, though, as the whole idea with the party was that it was supposed to be reminiscent of the past. Besides, he'd get mauled to death by the female elite, who had most likely paid thousands for vintage dresses.

He went to Slade's room and knocked on the door.

"Enter." The man's voice was only slightly muffled by the door.

Robin opened it to see the man in front of the mirror adjusting his black bowtie. He looked good in a tux. Really good. Robin mentally shrugged those thoughts away.

"Hi, I just wanted to ask you something…?"

"Yes?"

"Luthor… you said he'd recognize you, but how should I act around him? Like Bruce?"

Slade seemed to mull this over for a second.

"I don't think it suits you to play stupid," he said, which might have been some sort of praise. "On the other hand, a young, inexperienced man would feel somewhat intimidated by an older dominant man," he added as he turned around. He gave the teen a little smirk, and Robin snorted. He understood the parallel but refused to acknowledge it. "Be yourself but insert a certain amount of awe or fake bravado or whatever makes you feel most comfortable. As long as you pretend that you don't know anything about him apart from his business side, it will be fine. Don't fight him at every turn."

"I'm going to act like I think he's human, I'm used to that," Robin smirked.

"Good boy." Slade came up to him and straightened Robin's bowtie as well, even though the teen was sure it wasn't needed. "Have you practiced your speech enough?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, then everything's ready. Let's go down and prepare to greet your guests."

"Bruce usually came down a bit later when people had arrived and just mingled," Robin objected. He didn't tell the man 'no', not exactly, but there was no mistaking the tone.

"And now we're doing it like this," Slade told him and simply ushered him towards the door. "You need to introduce me to 'society', so to speak. I want people to know that I am more important than a simple employer, that I'm a friend of the family, so to speak…"

"With friends like you…" Robin muttered.

"You would do well to remember that tonight, so you don't make some enemies as well," the man told him sternly.

Initially it was awkward but, after the first couple of guest, Robin got into some kind of flow. Good evening, thank you for coming, lovely dress, have you met Slade Wilson, my adviser? I hope you will have a good time, I look forwards to seeing you later. The words flowed past his lips until his vision was blocked by shadow that was larger than the previous ones. He looked up and swallowed.

"G-good evening, Sir. Welcome! I'm… I'm honored that you would personally attend," Robin said and his stutter was actually real. It was one thing to read about meeting sharks, and another thing entirely to actually do it. Lex Luthor smirked down at him and held out his hand, which Robin was quick to shake.

"Mr. Grayson. Sorry, it's Wayne now, isn't it?" the man amended.

The bastard already knew that. He wouldn't make a mistake like that if it wasn't intentional, Robin thought to himself, but smiled. "Yes. Don't worry, I'm still not used to it myself." His eyes darted to the woman on the man's arm. He didn't know her, and the 'plus one' offer on the invitation meant that there would be a few unfamiliar faces tonight despite his best efforts.

"What a lovely dress, Miss…?"

"This is Miss Lotta Hein," Luthor introduced them and Robin decided to look her up, even though she looked like the part of the socialite he tended to call the 'dumb blondes' in his darker moment. He knew it wasn't fair, but he also knew that, in many cases, it was deserved.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Hein," Robin smiled and shook her hand too. "Have you met my consultant, Mr. Slade Wilson?"

"I think I have had the pleasure, yes," Luthor smiled tightly, his eyes much colder now, as he took the man's hand. You wouldn't know that there was a test of strength in that hand shake unless you were looking for it, but Robin of course noticed.

"Oh? Slade, have you worked with Mr. Luthor? Maybe I should ask him for references?" Robin smiled and looked as innocent as he could. He had used the man's first name to signal familiarity, something Slade had told him to do.

"I haven't had the pleasure of being employed by Lex Corp, but we have met outside of business," Slade said.

"I still could tell you a thing or two," Lex grinned at Robin.

"As could I," Slade stated with a hint of threat in his voice.

Luthor straightened up, smiled coldly and nodded at the man, bowed slightly to Robin, who wished him a lovely evening, and then steered his date into ballroom.

_To Be Continued…_

A/N: Anything surprising happen in this chapter...? how do you see this story ending? Let me know (if you want). I suck at answering, but will answer direct questions if you should happen to have any.


	5. Chapter 5: Control Issues

A/N: back on schedule after last weeks vacation. I'm curious how you will feel about some of the minor characters after this chapter, feel free to tell me.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 5: Control Issues**

A few minutes later they were about to join the party, any stragglers would have to get by without a greeting, when a familiar voice called out.

"Yo! Dick!"

Robin turned around and grinned.

"Roy?! What are you doing here?!" The redhead was accompanied by Oliver Green, who smiled.

"Thought I'd bring you a present," Green Arrow grinned. "I'd figured this party would be rather boring for someone your age."

"And it's your fault I've been bored lately," Roy grinned at his friend. "I'll explain more later. Where's the booze?"

Oliver caught him by the shoulder. "You behave tonight, young man, or you can forget about the vacation trip we were talking about."

"I was only joking," Roy, aka Speedy, grinned and winked at Robin. "Come on, show me around, it's been ages."

He grabbed Robin's arm and for a few minutes the teen was overcome with happy memories of friendship and just being a teen again. Then a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Mr. Harper needs to excuse you. It's time for your welcome speech and you shouldn't ignore your other guests." Slade spoke in a low voice but it was still an order.

Robin nodded, however, yanked harshly back to reality.

His speech was nothing spectacular, the teen thought. He mentioned Bruce, of course. The importance of family and traditions. It was a strong, independent stance, however, showing that he was no puppet, as far as the rest of the room knew, and that he had a firm hold on Wayne Enterprises. It was met with applauses, and, the teen thought as he met the eyes of his audience, some looked both a bit more impressed and wary now than they had when they walked in.

Slade was subtle during the evening, staying close but not towering over him, still managing to steer him around the rooms, making sure he spent just enough time with each guest. Also, what Robin drank was not up to him, instead Alfred was there sticking glasses in his hands whenever his latest drink was empty. All alcohol free, he suspected.

After the first two hours, people were done smooching and had basically created groups based on things like rank and business interests. The alcohol was flowing, the band was playing and money was, hopefully, being donated to the charity. Canapés were constantly served in different varieties and everyone seemed to have a nice time. Now and then clicks from cameras were heard because yes, the press was here too. The rich wanted to be seen being generous. Robin was given looser reins and was happily speaking to Roy when Luthor sailed over, his arm now missing the blonde.

"Mr. Wayne, may I have a word?"

"Of course," Robin smiled.

The man led him away from the group, his hand on the teen's back. It was a rather familiar touch, Robin thought. Intimate. Basically, how he escorted his date through the room.

"First; my condolences on your loss," the man started. "Mr. Wayne and I met on several occasions, and were even rivals on some contracts. He seemed like a decent man."

"Thank you," Robin said, although he wasn't sure if the man had actually praised his mentor or not. 'Decent man' might not be considered a compliment in Luthor's world.

"How are things? I remember taking over the company after my father. I've been in your situation." The man sounded surprisingly honest and considerate. If Robin didn't know who he was, he might have fallen for it.

"It was… difficult." The teen decided to be naively honest. He was young and played that card. He didn't want to seem like a threat to the man, although, of course, he didn't want him to try to move in on his turf either. It would have to be a fine balance. "Now, with good advice, I feel more secure, however."

"Good to hear. It took me years to find my footing. But then again, I didn't have anyone like Slade Wilson on my payroll."

"He's been fantastic. Not ready to let him go yet, though, so you better not steal him from me. I'd take that personally," Robin grinned, clearly joking.

"Ah damn, I was going to ask how much you pay him," Luthor smirked back. "Joke's aside… we are in competition, of course, but on different arenas. I hope we can become more than petty rivals; I think it would benefit both our companies. And… if you even need advice or just want to talk about the struggles of long meetings and crappy office coffee…" the man added.

Robin smiled warmly. "I appreciate that. Bruce and I rarely spoke business, unfortunately, but he always mentioned your name with respect. Begrudgingly, but still," he admitted with a small grin.

He got a chuckle in response. "I can imagine. I saw the press conference yesterday. Bold move. Very bold. A decade ago, a revelation like that might have been extremely damaging to business."

"I felt a strong urge to be myself. I've already been told I should learn to just smile and nod," the teen lied.

"Horrid thought. Of course you should be professional, but not a blank slate. People might invest in you now because it's PC to do so, no matter what their own values are. But I advise you to still be discreet with your love life, until you've found someone… steady."

"I've gotten that advice as well," Robin chuckled.

"Then let me be a bit clearer… though I fear it might offend you. Your friend…"

"Who?" Robin asked, suddenly scared that the man had picked up on something regarding him and Slade.

"The young Mr. Harper. I am sure it is mostly rumors, but I would be careful with him."

Robin let out a real laugh. "Roy and I are just old friends, nothing more."

"You'd be wise to keep it that way," the businessman smiled. "I will be in town for the better part of a month," the man added and pressed a card into the teen's hand. Holding it as he continued talking, piercing Robin with his gaze. "My private number. Very private, please keep it to yourself. I hope we can have dinner and talk some more."

"I'd like that," the teen started, a bit caught in the headlights.

"Tomorrow evening?"

"I… I… yes?" Robin had no idea if he had any plans. His mind was blank. He just knew that he'd better play along and make a "friend" of the man.

"I'll call you tomorrow morning to confirm, Richard. May I call you Richard?" Robin nodded. "Good. You may call me Lex, of course. Or Alexander if you prefer. I'll make reservations." The man finally let go of his hand with a small smile. "I am afraid that I have to say goodnight. Early meeting tomorrow. Lovely party, however, I shall have to steal the concept and introduce Metropolis to the glorious past," he joked.

"Just don't settle on the eighties, I hear it was awful," Robin grinned back. "Fashion-wise at least."

"Quite," the man smirked.

"Oh, and don't forget to donate on your way out if you haven't already," Robin smiled, determined to get something good out of the guy. "It's so important that kids have good libraries to go to," he added in maybe a bit too innocent voice. "I'm sure with your help we can reach our goal."

The man looked at him like he had just spoken about the importance of hats for hamsters but then smirked. "Of course. Goodnight, Richard. I look forward to tomorrow."

The teen nodded and bid him farewell as well. The billionaire hadn't been out of his sight for long before Roy showed up in front of him.

"Flirting with the big boys, are you?" he grinned.

"Hardly," Robin snorted. "Are you enjoying the party?" he then asked with a grin.

"There's no dancing and the music is beyond dull. We should hit the clubs! Tomorrow?"

"Can't, I'm having dinner with the 'big boy'," the teen snickered. "Besides, I'm not sure my image can take going clubbing right now."

"Aaaw, you're boring. But how about we hang out tomorrow? A game of something, perhaps? Oh, I know! Racket ball!"

Robin perked up at the suggestion. He loved being competitive with someone like Speedy, who he didn't have to hold back with…. And who most likely wouldn't make him give him a blow job in the shower afterward.

"Um… Dick?" the redhead said.

"Huh? Oh? What?"

"You completely zoned out and you had a really weird expression on your face… up for a game or not?"

"I am! But I need to check with Wilson so there's nothing planned that can't be rescheduled, okay?"

"On a Saturday? I pity you, dude," the archer grinned. "Give me a call? I need to go see if the pile of women Oliver is under has grown since the last time I saw him."

"Please remind him there's reporters here?" Robin groaned.

"I think that's why he flirts extra hard," his friend grinned. "Oops, here comes your babysitter… good thing he's a hunk," the other teen added in a whisper and then sauntered off.

Robin searched Slade's face for any sign of annoyance. The man had stayed at a distance, seemingly making small talk, but had probably heard it all, something he confirmed the next second.

"Seems you have two engagements tomorrow."

"Yes… I mean… if I should go?" Robin asked.

"Lex warned you about young Mr. Harper which is interesting. He might not want you to get too cozy with Queen Industries… which is probably a good reason to do exactly that."

"Get cozy with Roy?" Robin grinned.

"In a manner of speaking." Slade gave him a level look.

Robin, however, felt like pushing it. "You won't get jealous?" he drawled.

The man snorted. He leaned over a bit and purred, very quietly; "I can have you any time I please." Then he left, leaving a flustered and angry teen behind.

Robin tried to shake the whole thing off quickly and then continued to tour the room, being the perfect host. As the end of the evening he did the big reveal of how much they had raised and the teen didn't know if it was because Lex actually _had _donated a lot, but they had smashed through their goal and the room exploded in cheers and applause as cameras flashed.

After bidding everyone good night, he retired, Slade on his heels of course, while the staff would see everyone out and start tidying up. Tomorrow morning there would be no sign of the party. Robin decided to make sure everyone got a little thank you bonus and would talk to Alfred about it tomorrow. He knew the man in question would personally oversee everything until the last of the hired staff left but knew better than to ask him to go to bed. It would be a terrible insult to the old man.

"Quite a night," Slade commented as they reached the hallway with their bedrooms.

"Yes. It went well, though, right? I'm not going to get punished for anything?" Robin asked, somewhat dryly.

"Unless you're longing for a spanking, I see no need to. You did very well. Keep this up and I won't have to stick around for much longer."

"Well, there's that parole-thing?" the teen said, trying to remind the man that _Robin _was doing _him _a favor too.

"I can still be employed by the company without actually spending any time here," Slade shrugged.

"Lovely. Leave? Now?"

"Cute. The harder you work and the more you learn the sooner I can, though," Slade told him. "For now, I need to make sure you don't get eaten whole by Lex. He wants something and tomorrow morning we're going to try to figure out what."

"Yes, sir. Seven in the gym?" the teen asked, wanting to set his own alarm for once.

"I'll wake you," the man said, refusing him that sense of control.

Robin frowned and muttered something ugly under his breath.

"What was that?" Slade asked sweetly.

"Nothing. Good night, sir," Robin amended.

"Thought so. Good night." The man smirked down at him and the teen fumed as he spun around and hurried to his own room. He practically ripped the tux off, feeling like it was suffocating him, brushed his teeth and fell into bed. He didn't spend any time wallowing in annoyed thoughts, though, as he fell asleep almost immediately.

He had wanted to be up and dressed when Slade knocked on the door the next morning, but instead he was still fast asleep when the man slapped his ass.

"Ow!" Robin whined, still half asleep.

"That's surprisingly firm even when you're sleeping," the man observed. "Get up. Gym in fifteen minutes."

"es, sir..." Robin muttered, burrowing his head into his pillow again.

"Or that ass is mine."

That got the teen moving.

At breakfast, after the workout, Robin was mulling over the fact that he already handled those workouts much better. He had gotten stronger in only a little over one week. It felt really good. He suddenly got a cuff on the head, which didn't feel good at all.

"Ow! What?!" he asked, glaring at Slade.

"I would appreciate if you paid attention. Just because you have a 'date' with Harper at eleven doesn't mean we don't have work to do until then."

"What are we going to work on?" Robin asked tensely, still gritting his teeth.

"See if we can find out why Luthor wants to keep you away from Harper," Slade smirked.

Robin suddenly grinned back. That sounded like fun!

It wasn't.

"There are too many connections and nothing stands out!" Robin groaned after two hours. It was around half past nine in the morning and he desperately wished it was an hour later and time to leave. Lex had called at nine to quickly confirm their appointment and Robin had called Roy to set the time up too. He had left it to the redhead to book them a court, though, as he was busy. "Can't he just simply not want us to collaborate in general?"

"Possibly," Slade muttered, coming up with nothing much himself obviously. "Maybe you can prod him tonight. Carefully."

"Oh, I thought I could just ask him what he's up to," Robin drawled.

"Don't be cute."

"Impossible!"

"You have two options. You can apologize for that, or _really_ apologize for that," Slade told him dryly, not so subtly indicating the floor in front of himself.

Robin swallowed. "Sorry! I am! I should know when to shut up, I'm sorry, I… I just meant it as a joke!" He found that he didn't mind apologizing, not if it could save him from having to kneel.

"Very well. This time. But you're adding up to it again, be aware."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Robin said quickly and turned his focus back on the screen. "In which areas would you say they compete the most?". He heard what sounded like a chuckle from the man and grinded his teeth, feeling his ears turn warm. He kept his eye on the screen, though and a moment later they were back to working.

"Any instructions before I go?" Robin asked as he was putting his jacket on. "What should I do?"

"Hit the ball, I believe," the man drawled. Slade had decided not to come as not even he could think up a reason for him to be there. He saw the teen's frustration at his answer, and smirked. "Try not to do anything illegal or morally questionable."

"I'll be with Roy, I think just that counts…" Robin muttered, but then nodded. "Sure, so… nothing else?"

"Behave."

"Right. Sure." The teen picked up his gym bag and swung it over his shoulder. There was the sound of impatient honking outside. "Gotta go."

"Have fun."

Robin looked and felt a bit hesitant, like he was about to go to school on his own for the first time. He took a deep breath and left.

"Why do you look so weird?" Roy greeted him, sitting behind the wheel of a sports car, which Robin assumed was rented.

"What? I do? How?" the teen asked.

"You just looked really surprised, or something… like you had forgotten what the sky looked like," his friend grinned and, barely waiting for Robin to get in, sped off.

"Well it's been a while since… you know… I was out," Robin chuckled, the sound strained by a feeling of dread rising in his chest. He didn't understand it at first, but his knuckles, holding onto the door handle, were turning white. "Can… can you slow down? Please?" he asked, snapping like it was a more of a demand.

His friend just snorted. "Oh, come on! You know I'm a good driver. Speed is KEY, man!" the redhead yelled, seemingly quoting someone Robin didn't know, as he pushed on the gas a little bit more.

"SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!"

Now his friend did, marginally, and gave him an annoyed look. "What the fuck?" he asked.

"I… I don't know… I just… I…" Robin took a couple of deep breaths and found himself wishing he was back at the manor so desperately it hurt. "I… Maybe… Bruce…"

"Oh. Oh, shit… yeah… the crash. Sorry." The other teen slowed down properly. "You're safe with me driving, though," he added, confidently.

"I know, I know, I just… prefer if you took it easy, ok?" Robin realized that he hadn't been driving himself since the accident. That wasn't completely unusual as Alfred doubled as a chauffeur, and since Slade joined the picture… well… But both of them kept to the speed limit and with the flow of traffic so it somehow didn't seem fast, whereas Speedy tended to launch the car into different lanes like he was playing tag with the other drivers. Robin took another deep breath as a painful stab of longing pierced him. _Bruce_. The name was a silent scream inside him. It just hit him now and then. Suddenly. In the beginning it was constant, then slowly happened a bit less frequently but, usually, more unexpected, like now.

He took a couple of more deep breaths, as silently as he could, and distanced himself from the grief once more. He didn't know what would happen if he fully opened up to it, and he didn't dare to find out.

* * *

"Ok, ok, I give!" Roy panted, hands on his knees. They had been playing, full out, for an hour straight and neither of them had been willing to give an inch before now. "You owe me coffee," the redhead continued panting. "Possibly organs," he added, clutching his chest.

"Someone is a bit out of shape," Robin grinned, although his t-shirt was absolutely soaked through as well, and he had silently told himself that he wouldn't stand for one more set.

"Well, Ollie took some inspiration from you and is teaching me the ropes," Roy grunted as he stretched. "The behind the desk ones, that is."

"Oh? Oh, so that's why you're here and not with… the team?" Robin asked. The room was closed off, but you never knew who might be listening when you were in public.

"Basically yes. No fun for me for a bit."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Well, no fun of _that_ kind at least," the redhead grinned and winked at him. "Showers?"

"I think society as a whole would thank us, yeah," Robin chuckled.

People apparently had other things to do around lunch on a Saturday than to play racket ball, because the changing rooms were almost deserted. Robin didn't think much about anything in the shower stall until Roy joined him.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Robin hissed, trying to look over the other teen's shoulder so see if anyone was around. Annoyingly enough Roy blocked most of his line of sight, wearing nothing but a grin.

"Come on, Dick…" the redhead purred. "I've been thinking about you since last night… how about fooling around a bit?"

"Are you insane? In public?!" Robin still kept his voice down, but it wasn't easy.

"Come on..? Just a quick kiss? When did you last live a little dangerously?"

The black-haired teen sighed and shook his head. "Okay. One. Quick. Then you'll get out of here."

"Scout's honor!" Roy promised and made a hand gesture that was probably supposed to be the scout salute.

Robin chuckled a bit and kissed his friend, who quickly deepened the kiss until Robin pulled away.

"Ok," he whispered, "That was enough."

"For now," Roy grinned.

"How about the sauna?" he asked a short while later as they had both finished up.

"We've just showered," Robin pointed out.

"Still, might be nice for the muscles?"

"I don't think-"

"Come on, it will be good for you," the redhead claimed and grabbed his arm.

Robin _did _enjoy the sauna, although he was feeling a bit antsy. He would have preferred to be heading home by now.

"What's with the kiss?" he asked as they were alone for the moment.

"You're out of the closet officially," Roy shrugged.

"Not answering my question, though?" Robin insisted.

"You're hot, I'm hot, we're both young… I'd figured why not?" the redhead grinned. "Besides, it's not the first time."

"Is that reason enough to hook up?" the teen snorted.

"Oh, you don't need nearly that many reasons, trust me," his friend claimed. "And come on, Oliver will probably have me here for a while, overseeing the branches here… I'm going to be bored."

"I'm sorry, but… well, I'm not sure I'm ready. I'm working around the clock right now, trying to understand the company… honestly, I suggest you do the same while you have Oliver to guide you, because trying to do it alone…? Not recommended."

"That's what he said…" Roy muttered, glaring at the wall off to the side. "Well, we can have some fun, right? Low profile? What's the harm?"

Robin sighed. He knew Roy was like a dog with a bone, but this was _his_ bone, and… well. At the same time, he was a friend. The first one Robin had ever told. They had fooled around a bit before, though not beyond making out, and the teen thought it was behind them by now… the redhead was right in not seeing the harm, perhaps, but Robin heard warning bells and, especially, there was the thing with Slade. If Roy found out… that would be bad. Very, very bad.

"The timing. I'm practically in boot camp here."

"With that hot daddy?"

"What?" Robin blinked.

"That Wilson-guy? Damn, I'd let him teach me anything he wanted to, let me tell you."

"You… wouldn't really want that, no."

"You must be blind. Besides, he was looking at you last night. Almost constantly."

Robin shouldn't have been surprised but still felt a shill up his spine. "It's… like his job." He explained. "He's evaluating me. Giving me feedback on how to do this. Be a business man, I mean."

"More like eating you up with his eyes, but sure."

"Sure he was," Robin snorted.

"You're blushing!"

"It's hot in here!"

"Could be hotter?" the redhead smirked lecherously.

"Someone needs to castrate you," Robin snorted and stood up. "I'm done. I have work to do before dinner with Luthor tonight."

"But we're going to lunch first, right?" his friend asked.

"I think I'll just grab something at home."

The young archer stood up and looked determined. "There's a good place just around the corner."

"But-"

"Come on, I just want to spend some time with you, don't be so damn difficult!" Roy snapped.

Robin immediately felt a bit guilty. His friend had been forced to, temporarily, leave a world of excitement for the business world and the former Titan understood that feeling only too well. This might just be a short break Oliver let him have and if he returned back sooner…

"Alright, alright," Robin muttered. "OW!" he added as the tip of the other teen's towel snapped against his ass.

"Good boy. You're mine for another hour," Roy grinned. Robin still muttered about getting some new friends even as he was getting dressed after the second shower.

"Had fun?" Robin had barely made it inside the door and there was Slade, ready to put the leash back on, it seemed.

"Sure." The teen didn't feel he owed the man more than that. The man's hand on his shoulder, steering him towards a small downstairs sitting room, seemed to disagree.

"Were you discreet?"

"I- what? We played racket ball!"

"Are you telling me nothing else happened?"

"No!"

"No, you're not, or no, nothing else happened?" Slade asked him as he indicated for Robin to sit down in a stuffed chair. Slade took the one opposite and leaned back, observing him closely.

"Nothing else happened!" Robin tried again. He could hear his own voice betray him with a slight tremble.

"Now, boy… If I am to let you out of my sight," Slade said, sounding that that might not be an option again, "I need to know that you are being honest with me. You should also know that I have… ways to ensure that you are. I am going to assume that you didn't lie to me just now, but merely… withheld information, either because you didn't think what went down was important or because you are ashamed of it. So… one more chance. Tell me everything that happened from the moment you left here. Now."

And Robin did. Slade had to ask for more details at the very start but soon the teen caught onto the level of facts the man required for him to be at. After he was finished the man gave him a level look. "And why did you say no to him wanting to invite himself in for a 'quickie'?"

"I told you, I don't feel like that for him! He's like… a brother, or a cousin or something."

"He obviously has no problem with incest," the man commented, smirking a little. "And we have already established that you use sex as a way to blow off steam. You could use him. Repeatedly. Legally."

"Are… are you… _suggesting_ that I-?"

Slade raised a hand. "Only toying with the thought."

"Well you can go toy with your-" Robin stopped himself as the glint in the man's eye got dangerous. "I mean… that's a no. No. I haven't even- no."

"You haven't even what?"

"Considered it," Robin said and suddenly his head snapped to the side. He groaned and cradled his cheek. He glared at the man across from him, but it was like he hadn't even moved.

"I warned you not to lie."

"It's… none of your- It's personal!" the teen tried.

"Nothing is too personal for you not to tell me, or do for me. Do you want me to prove it?"

"No, I… I just-"

"What haven't you 'even'?" the man insisted.

Robin's voice was barely audible, and he looked down on his knees. "Had sex."

"Was that someone else with my cock in his mouth? Someone else getting blown in a public bathroom?"

"I mean… for real."

"Felt damn real."

"You know what I mean!" Robin was not too irritated to be embarrassed and glared daggers at the mercenary.

"Yes, yes," Slade dared to chuckle. "You haven't had a cock in your ass or stuck yours into anything but mouths and hands."

"Yeah." Robin was back to being embarrassed again. "So… I don't really want to… you know… with Speedy."

"Because he's been sticking his everywhere or because you think he'll notice that you haven't?"

"Because I don't love him!"

Slade full out burst out laughing at that. "Ah, movies and books ruined a lot, but I hate that they got to sex…" he chuckled.

"What?" Robin blinked.

"Religion ruined sex outside of marriage. You shouldn't have sex before you're married. Didn't used to matter if you loved each other, oh no. Then the no sex before marriage started to go down the drain and my pet theory is that love and a 'deep emotional connection' became the new line you had to cross before you could have sex… Take romantic movies for example; if the characters have sex at all it's usually not before they have shared a 'magical' kiss and/or proclaimed their love for each other… sex for the sake of sex? Whore. Even though sex and love could exist completely separate from each other."

Robin had listened to the man's unusually long tirade. He wasn't sure he agreed or that it even made sense, but it rather amused him that Slade would even contemplate such a thing.

"Yeah, well… we're all different," he shrugged.

"Pity, the bedroom card might have been beneficial to play… maybe not with the archer, but for future business relations. Carefully and discreetly, of course."

"You feel free to take that bullet for me," Robin muttered. The man smirked at him, like he didn't mind the idea.

"So. Tell me about Roy's penis," Slade asked him next, and Robin was almost sure it was a form of punishment for his latest comment.

"What?!"

"You told me everything else in detail, but nothing about what he looks like naked. Size? Cut or uncut? Body hair? Did he get hard?"

"I… I…. I…." Robin struggled to come up with an answer. He had seen 'it', of course he had, but…

"You're struggling to remember?" Slade sneered. Robin just looked up at him helplessly. "What does mine look like?" the man then added, and suddenly the teen's mind exploded with very vivid images.

"Arrgh," Robin groaned, and Slade was chuckling again. "It's just that he's not my type! Not really!" he then tried to explain.

"Oh, and what _is_ your type, exactly?"

"I haven't figured that out yet," Robin muttered.

"He's not dominant enough for you?" It sounded like a joke, but it hit a nerve. Robin was careful in trying to hide it, though.

"He tries to boss me around, but who says I'm into that?" he snorted.

Slade merely raised an eyebrow at him but didn't comment.

The teen broke the silence a few seconds later by trying to change the subject completely. "Anything I need to do before the dinner with Luthor?"

"Alfred needed you for something to do with the house budget."

"Can't he just handle that?" Robin groaned, but Slade looked disapproving.

"You need to know that side of your life too. Go. Do a good job. Then you're free until five. Come look me up."

"Yes, sir," Robin grunted and stood up. He had rather hoped for a nap. He felt drained after the morning for some reason. He thought about Slade's stupid claim about dominance while looking for Alfred. It was completely out there. He had never sought to be dominated! Even with the limited sexual experiences he had had, the glory holes, then _he_ had been the one in charge! Or… had he…? Or had he blindly given himself to someone on the other side…? Someone who could possibly hurt him? Had that been part of the excitement?

"Ah, there you are, Master Richard," Alfred suddenly said from a side hallway. "Oh, did I scare you?"

"I was just… deep in thought," Robin said. "Slade said you wanted to see me?"

A rather boring two hours followed and when he got out of there Robin barely had time to change before he was supposed to find Slade. The mercenary was in the batcave, still reading up on Luthor, it seemed.

"I rather wish you could have come with me," the teen admitted. He didn't want Slade there for the company, just for the protection. "I'm worried he'll make some sort of business deal and then bulldoze over me."

"If he mentions business, say you'd prefer to handle such things with your advisor present. If it had been a business dinner, I would have had a reason to be there," Slade told him, looking rather annoyed that he wasn't.

"So what are you going to do all night? Netflix?" The teen sounded grumpy, but only because he was.

"I'm actually going to drive you and then stay in the neighborhood. Give me your phone."

Robin reluctantly did and Slade, somehow, unlocked it. "Good, it has downloaded. This is an emergency app I designed. Press the button on the side of your phone three times quickly and it will send me a text to come interfere, whatever the situation. I'll pretend there's a business emergency of some sort," he said and handed it back.

"Oh. Well, that's… good," Robin admitted, feeling some of the worry lift.

"Don't use it just because you're bored."

"Dammit."

A/N: Thoughts? Impressions? What do we think of Roy and Lex?


	6. Chapter 6: Controlled Substance

A/N: Lex and Robin and Slade, oh my! 😉

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 6: Controlled Substance**

Robin would definitely think Luthor was a handsome and rather sexy man if he hadn't known what a complete evil scumbag he actually was. Then again, the teen pondered, Slade was in that group as well. Why couldn't the men he found hot be good guys? Well, okay, so there was Superman, but he wasn't even a little gay. Neither was Luthor, going on evidence, and Slade…? Robin wasn't sure. Was there a term for someone like Slade? Did he just enjoy the dominance, no matter who he dominated? Would he _date _another man?

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Robin practically jumped, his wide eyes staring into the other man's rather calculating ones. He struggled to compose himself quickly.

"Oh, I… heh. Well, trust me, it would cost you more than that…" he answered. "Sorry. So… starters?"

"I've had recommendations, I could order for us both?" Luthor suggested. "Any allergies or dislikes?"

Robin shook his head numbly, but then more forcefully. "No. And no, thank you, I'm a bit tired of… I mean… I haven't really been able to make a lot of my own decisions lately, so… I'm willing to make my own mistakes during dinner."

The businessman gave him a curious glance but then followed it up with a tight smile.

"As you wish, of course. Then I'll be alone in ordering the oysters for starter?"

"I'll have the crab, I think, it's been years," Robin said, actually excited. "I am open for suggestions when it comes to the main dish, though."

"Would you like to continue the aquatic theme?" Luthor asked him. "Or something else?"

"I do like meat…" Robin started. He was going to continue with telling the man that he wouldn't mind fish when Luthor chuckled.

"Well, yes, you made that clear to the whole world yesterday."

If had been Slade or Roy saying something like that Robin would just have snorted, but now he turned red instead. He wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a friendly joke or a disguised jab. Though civil enough it was more than possible that Lex Luthor wasn't very inclined to agree with the world's view on at least outwards acceptance. Robin was willing to bet the man was a homophobe, the question was how _much_ of one.

"Oh, sorry, did I embarrass you?" the man continues when the teen didn't reply. "It was just a silly little joke. I see now how it could be offensive, I apologize." He actually sounded sincere, so Robin decided to at least outwardly buy the excuse and smile at him.

"No, I'm sorry, I just didn't expect… it was a bit… raunchy."

"It's obvious you don't know me yet," the man leered and then they were interrupted by the waiter.

Luthor went with the seabass while Robin had the rabbit, something he hadn't tried before. While waiting for the first course to arrive the teen tried very hard not to fill up on the amazing selection of home baked bread. To distract himself he decided to get the conversation going again.

"So… raunchy, huh? I wouldn't have suspected."

"I like taking people by surprise," the man leered. "That's an advice right there… never be what people expect you to be."

"I'm afraid I might be too boring," Robin chuckled.

"Not at all. You played racket ball with Harper today, I heard?"

"How… how did you know that?" Robin suddenly felt like he was in danger, somehow.

"An associate of mine spotted you. Happened to mention that when I had to decline dinner with him and his wife tonight."

It sounded plausible. It was also complete bullshit, Robin expected.

"Oh, it's a small world… but yes, we did. We haven't met in a while and he's here in town too. It was nice to get out of the house," he added, somewhat untruthfully.

"My warning regarding him-"

"Was noted. He's my friend, though. Only my friend. Not lover, not business partner… although I'm not sure what you are most worried about."

"Right now; your reputation. Well, not the business part of me, of course. That part of me would love to see your stocks drop, at least to a certain degree… but we both took over our father's business young. I was probably better prepared for it, but as I think I mentioned at the lovely party yesterday; I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

"I have to say that surprises me. I am the competition after all. Something tells me I should do the exact _opposite_ of what you advise," Robin grinned.

"Well, maybe that is my diabolical plan?" the man suggested with a grin and raised his glass in a mock toast. Robin did the same, chuckling. He was having a good time, surprisingly enough. Maybe he could charm the older man into giving him some of that advice and then try to analyze it to find out his intentions.

"I might joke, but I'm flattered and grateful," he said, pushing as much sincerity he could into his voice and eyes. "You are… a legend, after all. A bit like a super hero," he added. Just because it was funny to him. The man quirked an eyebrow, maybe finding it ironic as well. "There's nothing I'd rather do than to pour out my heart, but… I can't… I have responsibilities. But… maybe one thing?" the last part made the man's cold, green eyes lit up a little. "There's a member of my board. He- I mean, he or she, is a bit… well, rubbing me the wrong way. Trying to run his or her own show, you know? What would you do?"

"Terminate them," the man smirked coldly, and then his smile widened. "But seriously… unless this person is sitting on knowledge that can be hard to replace… and find out what his subordinates think of him," the man continued, obviously not even trying to pretend that he hadn't picked up on Robin's 'slip up' regarding the person's gender.

"How do I do that? I can't really just ask them, can I?"

"No, not advisable. There are people for that. People who can get close to his co-workers… strike up conversations at bars or yoga classes. Gossip about their own bosses…"

"Wow… like… really? Wouldn't that be like spying?" Again, Robin made full use of his big blue eyes.

The man smiled and the teen knew he had him. That smile clearly stated that 'I'll take care of you, little fool, and you'll be very useful to me'. Robin smiled back. Warmly. And hoped the opposite.

"Your advisor might have some connections. I'm surprised he hasn't suggested something like this already."

"Well… he said he had some ideas, but… well, guess I'm a bit more naïve than I thought…" Robin looked suitable ashamed.

"It would be strange if you weren't. Now, who is the guy?"

Robin hesitated. He could give the man Pete Burke's name, although all he had said about him might not be true. Robin's dislike for the man were more instinct than anything else. If it came back to him… but, if Luthor snooped around and found that Robin had told him the truth, then the man would more readily believe the next thing the teen might want to plant in his mind.

"I… don't know if I… Ok, this is between us, alright?"

"Of course," the man nodded, like the fox promising not to eat the baby rabbit.

"What I said… I might have exaggerated. He just gives me a certain vibe, you know?"

"And he is…?" The man was really keen on knowing and Robin wished he could have asked Slade for advice, but he took the plunge in the end.

"Burke, Wayne Construction. And again, please… this is private."

"Of course," the man smiled again. "I could… snoop around a bit though. If you want?"

"Wouldn't that… be suspicious?"

"For a competitor to feel out a potentially weakened business? No, it would be strange if I didn't," the man smirked.

"Ah, right. Yes, well… then I don't see why not," Robin smiled. "I'm worried that I'll owe you more than I can pay back, though."

The businessman chuckled. "This one is on me. Consider me a… mentor, if you will. Yes, you are competition, but that is good for business. There are areas I'd like a bigger chunk of in the future, but why don't you figure out what you want your company to focus on first? Wayne enterprises are spread far and wide, maybe a bit too thin in some areas, don't you think?"

"Like in what areas?" Robin asked, genuinely curious. "I admit I'm having difficulties seeing the big picture sometimes."

"You might want to look over your media portfolio. Local media and locally based international media are one thing, but you own newspapers in New York and LA too, and the newspaper business? It's not exactly blooming. And online? Blocked adds and people refuse to pay for extra content."

"I think I own some in Metropolis too," Robin pretended to remember. "The Daily Planet, right?" He already knew that LexCorp had made a bid for the paper, of course, but pretended not to be informed.

"That might be right," Luthor nodded.

Robin tried to hide a grin as he saw the man trying hard to pretend that he didn't know.

"Yes, well… it's a big paper, but it is a bit silly, isn't it? And you're right, all news sources seem to drown each other out… you're never sure whom to trust either." The teen almost felt bad as he saw the man's eyes lit up with hope. "I don't think I'm ready to sell anything off at the moment, though… but if I was… would there be interest? How much could I ask? Oh, you wouldn't be interested yourself, I suppose? I mean, as media is going down?"

"Like I said, owning local media is a bonus, it gives you a certain amount of control," Luthor hurriedly said. "So… yes, I would consider taking that paper off your hands in the future, unless something drastically changes, of course. Maybe you'll let me know?"

"Yes, of course… but… um, maybe it's rude, but how much would you say…?" Robin prompted again. He did it because he wanted to act like a teen that thought business was just money and who was still young enough to be impressed by sums.

"There would be a substantial number of zeros," Luthor smirked.

"I like substantial number of zeros," Robin grinned back and raised his glass.

A moment later he felt his phone vibrate. He decided to excuse himself and go to the bathroom as it was rude to take his phone out at the table, but it could be important. It wasn't. It was Roy asking how the "date" was going. He snorted and then completely silenced all numbers apart from Slade's and Alfred's.

The meal continued and Robin readily admitted that he was having a good time. He got a bit worried as he noticed that he had empties yet another glass of amazing wine, but simply decided to stick with water from then on. "Where are you staying here in Gotham, then? Do you have an apartment?" Robin asked as he was a bit curious and the conversation has stilled a bit over the dessert.

"Right here, actually," the man said and pointed downwards. The restaurant was on the top floor of one of the city's fancier hotels.

"Convenient," Robin grinned.

"Oh? For what? What did you have in mind?" the man leered.

"Aw, stop it, I just meant for you. Short walk." Robin snickered, blushing again.

"Ahh," the man smirked but didn't comment further.

As they were about to leave Robin stood up to find himself a bit dizzier than he wanted to be.

"You okay there?" Luthor asked him quietly.

"I think… maybe a little too much wine."

"You have your man picking you up?"

"Yes, I was about to send him a message," Robin nodded and quickly did.

"Then take my arm for support and focus on keeping it together to the elevator. We can't have you in the media swerving between tables, that wouldn't look good."

"I… ok… but… take your arm? Are you sure? You aren't afraid that will be… misinterpreted?"

"Your foot has fallen asleep," Luthor told him with a smile and then got them both to the elevator, scandal free. "Oh, I forgot, I have a book for you. Do you mind if we stop at my floor?" the man asked. Robin noticed that he had already pushed the button for it.

"Of course not. A book? Really?"

"It helped me. It's a bit outdated, business advice wise, especially when it comes to the 'females in the workplace' section, but you can read that part for pure entertainment."

"I'll try not to go by their advice there then," the teen laughed. He was feeling good. Yes, a little lightheaded, but nothing too bad. He was just in a really good mood for the first time since- "I miss him," he suddenly said and before he knew it, he was clinging to the infamous villain, crying his eyes out. It wasn't an act. It was a dam bursting.

He felt himself, almost like an out of body experience, being shuffled along a hallway and a moment later a door clicked shut.

"There. We're safe. No one saw us." The man's arms were encircling him, a hand calmingly stroking his back. "Got a bit much with the wine, didn't it?"

"I'm… I'm really sorry. I'm… I'm so embarrassed," the teen sobbed.

"It's all perfectly understandable. Wait here a moment."

The teen heard running water and then he had a damp hot towel in his hands along with some tissues.

"Thank you," he mumbled as he blew his nose and wiped his face, finally being able to find his composure again. He was then handed a dry towel and repeated the procedure. "I… I don't know where that came from… I mean… I'm usually able to hold back," he said, looking down at the towel like it held any answers. Then suddenly Luthor's hand touched his cheek, tilting his head up. He was suddenly very close, those green eyes… Robin lost his breath for a moment.

"It was the wine. At least now you know to try to stay away for a while, at least in public," the man told him, almost softly, while remaining a bit too close.

"Y-yeah," the teen whispered.

Suddenly the man's lips were on his. The teen was too stunned to do anything. The man's hand was behind his neck now and the other was around his waist, but after pulling him close for a moment Luthor let him go, their lips parting. Robin just blinked up at him, unable to even decide if he was mad at the man or not.

"Sometimes a little piece of meat makes it into my diet too," The man smirked down at him. "Do you feel better now or would you like to… stay?"

"I… I… My ride should be here by now."

"Of course." The man didn't miss a beat. "Let me get you that book. And Richard?"

"Yes?"

"This is something that I would prefer if it stayed between us. Like you and the board member?"

"Yes, yes, of course! I wouldn't… I mean… I… I'm a bit confused but…"

The man chuckled as the teen rambled on and then went to a drawer to fetch the book in question. Robin's eyes roamed the room, curious about how one of the world's richest men and biggest villains lived. The place was absolutely spotless.

"Here," he was handed parcel neatly wrapped in plain brown paper. Robin doubted the man had wrapped it himself, but the style of it fit him.

"Thank you," he smiled. He had realized that he should probably diffuse the situation, just to make sure to keep the man on his good side, so he added. "And… thank you." His tone made it clear what he thanked the man for. "I might have needed that… you know… to compose myself. Better than a slap to the face."

"I contemplated it," the man joked and they shared a laugh. "Come, I'll escort you downstairs," he added and soon they were back in the elevator, Robin clutching the book and feeling awkward.

"This was a strange evening," the teen admitted as they neared the first floor. "Not bad strange- well… apart from me breaking down, but… yeah." He gave the man another shy smile.

"Apart from that, though, I'm sure it will end up on my top ten business dinners while I'm in Gotham," the man joked.

"Only top ten?" Robin gasped, pretending to be shocked. "I would say top three! At least top five!"

"I'll let you know," Luthor smiled as the elevator doors opened. The man escorted him to the curb, though Robin no longer felt as dizzy. Perhaps the emotion roller coaster had flushed the buzz from his system. "Besides, the businessman added, "I'll be taking you out again in a few days. I'll be in touch." As he spoke the Wayne town car pulled up, and Luthor opened the door for Robin and ushered him in before the teen had been able to reply.

The car pulled away and Robin sat in silence for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"Report."

The teen's head snapped up, but of course it was Slade driving, and not Alfred. He only then remembered that the man had said he'd stay close. Alfred must have let him know, because Robin was sure he had sent the message to him.

"I… I'm a bit…"

"Drunk?" the voice was half amused half threatening.

"A little but mostly… he kissed me." Robin said this right in the middle of a gearshift- Alfred refused to drive anything that wasn't a 'real' car- and there was an objecting sound from the engine before Slade's focus returned to driving for long enough to sort it out. "He did _what_?" he then asked.

"Well, dinner was great, I got a bit much to drink, he was following me down but we needed to go to his room first to grab this-" Robin threw the parcel on the front seat. "I broke down in the elevator and in his room he… kissed me. Just once. Nothing else."

Slade didn't say a word, instead he surprisingly enough pulled over, and a moment later he was running his phone over the parcel. Robin turned white as he understood what the man was doing; looking for bugs.

"It's clean. Idiot," Slade grabbed the book and flung it back at the teen.

"Oh, good… yes, sorry, I… Sorry." The mistake was inexcusable. He had messed up.

"It was unlikely that he would do something like that, at least at this point, but you're peeing in a cup when we get home."

"What?! As punishment?!" Robin gasped, horrified at the prospects of what depravities Slade might make him do this time. The man barked out a laugh, however.

"No. I'm taking your bloodwork too."

"Oh! Drugs! You think he might have…?"

"Most likely not, but it doesn't hurt checking."

"Ah, so you'll be really gentle with the needle then?" Robin snorted.

"My mistake. It won't hurt _me_, checking. Now, go through the evening. From the top. And you know better than to lie."

Robin did and had just finished as they arrived at the manor.

"Was I wrong to tell him about Burke?" he asked, worriedly.

"It was risky, but your logic behind it seems solid enough. I don't like the kiss, though."

"You weren't on the receiving end," Robin stated dryly.

"Oh, so you think I would have enjoyed it in that case?" Slade smirked at him in the back mirror just as he parked the car.

"Not what I meant. But… why is it bad? I mean- Why do _you_ think it's bad?"

"Because it was unexpected. The building of trust, the milking you for details… that was completely expected of course… but I didn't think he wanted to milk you for other things."

"Ew," the teen groaned, as he climbed out of the car.

Slade led him directly to the sick bay but on the way there he seemed to ponder a few things. "I've heard rumors. Faint enough that they didn't even made it into the tabloids… but I didn't think they were true."

"About Luthor… liking meat?" Robin asked.

"He probably doesn't, but he might have a type…"

"Type, what type?" the teen wanted to know as they reached the lab. Slade smirked down on him.

"Small, innocent and helpless?"

"I should have kicked him in the balls then," the teen snorted.

"You know why you didn't. He might be worth more to you like this."

"As my lover?" Robin exclaimed.

"I'd say that might be a bit too far, and he'll see through you if you get too close. What I meant was… amiable."

"I'm glad I didn't get to_ feel_ how amiable he was," Robin muttered.

"Don't complain, he's your type too," the man claimed with a leer. The teen didn't dignify that with an answer.

A while later Robin's bladder was empty and he had a needle wound on his arm, which he was currently pressing a piece of paper to.

"What do you think about his idea of keeping an eye on Burke, then?"

"I'm more worried about Luthor apparently keeping an eye on you. No more kissing the archer."

"Well, now I have an excuse he might buy," Robin grinned,

"No, now you have a challenge for him. Try the word "no"."

"But that's the word I'm not allowed to use!" Robin exclaimed and then giggled. Slade gave him a level look.

"You're still slightly drunk, aren't you?"

"It's… kinda coming back to me."

"Go to bed. Set the alarm to six. You're preparing breakfast before our workout. I will see you in the gym at six thirty."

"But…? Oh, yeah… Alfred's day off," Robin sighed. He returned to his room, set the alarm on his phone, fell asleep and was still soundly asleep at seven the next morning. Asleep but having an amazing dream.

Slade looked down on the sleeping young man. Robin had a strange mix of beauty, softness and strength to him that the man had started to find attractive once the boy had matured into a young man. He indeed looked very innocent at the moment; long dark lashes, pink parted lips… innocent and very irresistible. And that innocence had almost been taken away by Lex last night. The mercenary had not expected that. He also hadn't expected to feel so strongly about it. Roy, to him, wasn't competition, but Lex sure as hell could be. Robin wouldn't give himself to the archer, he was quite sure of that, but the businessman was another alpha male… And Slade didn't want him to have the pleasure. At least not as the first.

He could control himself, of course, but the boy had once again missed a deadline. Keeping time wasn't something the boy did very well, apparently, and he had not learned his lesson despite several punishments. Maybe it was time to indulge while teaching him a new one?

Someone was touching him all over, all the right spots. Lips teased the column of his throat, making him moan and press back against the naked body behind him, and especially the hard object rubbing between the cheeks of his ass.

"OOhhh… mmmm… Yeees… Sooo gooood…" he gasped.

"Breakfast would also have been good, but I'm taking this instead," Slade told him, figuratively throwing a bucket of cold-water all-over Robin's lovely dream.

"No!" The teen tried to fly off the bed but found himself pinned. He also found that his dream hadn't been a dream. They were both very much naked, his body was still more than a little aroused despite the shock, and so was Slade's. "Let me go!" he snarled.

"I don't think so. You've disobeyed me again. Can't have that."

"I won't let you!" Robin didn't need to specify what he wouldn't let the man do, because it was pretty obvious. He made a decision. "Help!" he called out, as loudly as he could. It might destroy everything, but… he had reached his limit. "HEEELP!"

"Lovely voice. Keep screaming. Alfred left half an hour ago. A flea market, I believe. He wanted to be there early to see everything first."

No help was coming. During the whole ordeal Robin now realized that he had somehow counted on it… that, if he decided to, if he really needed to, help would be close by, either here or at the office. With that option lost, all he had was himself. That would have been plenty against more or less anyone else, but not Slade. Not when he already had him pinned. The teen still tried, though. His lower body was completely trapped but he tried to whip backwards with his arms, hitting and clawing what he could reach. When he thought the man was close enough, he tried headbutting him, but hit nothing but air and just got a pain in his own neck as a result. In went on until Robin completely ran out of breath and collapsed against the sheets. Slade had let him tire himself out.

"Are you done? Your wriggling hasn't made me any softer," the man drawled.

"P-please!" Robin almost sobbed.

He received a hard slap on his hip. "Don't beg! At least not to get out of your punishment, you brought this on yourself."

"But, but I didn't! I set the alarm!" the teen claimed, reaching for his cellphone that unfortunately was too far away. Slade reached it though, checked and then chuckled.

"You did. Six o'clock. But PM."

"Then go fuck the damn AI! I TOLD it to wake me up at six! It should have known I meant morning, it must be a bug!" the teen snarled.

"But you are right here," the man purred, slowly grinding himself against Robin's ass without giving him any opportunity to move. "Naked. Slippery. Ready."

"If… If you do this the deal is off!" The teen threw the words out there in desperation. "You- you can tell the world about Batman! Ruin Wayne Enterprises, I don't care!"

"Of course you don't. All those people. The whole economy of Gotham would wobble. Not to mention the many charities, which would disappear overnight."

"I don't care!" the teen claimed. "Let me go!"

"Yes, because all those people aren't worth a few moments of discomfort and unwanted pleasure…" the man deadpanned.

"Pleasure?!" Robin snorted and then laughed derisively.

"I bet you are still hard."

Robin wasn't willing to take that bet. Slade had had him very close to the edge when he had woken up and since then his erection had been trapped underneath him, rubbing against the mattress with every movement.

"This is all you wanted to do, right? Fuck me? So why don't you just do that and go?" the teen half snarled, half pleaded.

"I'll do that and stay," the man told him and changed position a little bit so Robin now felt a pressure against his opening. He really was slippery back there and he had a dream-like memory of something stretching him before. He wasn't sure, but Slade might have fingered him. He thrashed again, trying once more to get free, but Slade only put more of his body weight on top of him. The then man grabbed his hair with one hand, making sure the teen couldn't slam his head backwards, and lips were again assaulting his neck. Robin gasped, temporarily forgetting the pressure at his opening for this new sensation, and the moment he did, it yielded a little.

"Fuck!" he gasped. Slade merely chuckled in response before going back to attacking the side of the teen's throat. In trying to get away Robin tried to push upwards, but that only meant raising his ass, creating a much better entry angle. Slade wasn't pushing into him, simply letting gravity do the job. With the new angle, that job was suddenly much easier. "AAh!" Robin grabbed the sheets, pulling at it, as the man's length quite abruptly sunk into him completely. There wasn't much pain, just an incredible fullness which seemed to send electric jolts through him, making him stop fighting once more.

"Mmmm… there we go. You feel so good, Robin. So tight," the man purred in his ear, and for the first time, Slade shifted, rolling his hips ever so gently. The teen gasped, but still found it hard to move, even lifting his head. He felt tears wetting the sheet pressed against the side of his face. The man somehow noticed those silent tears too. "Shhh… don't get emotional," he said, almost fondly. "I know this is your first time, but you knew it had to be me. Who else? Who could ever compare? You have been mine for years, little bird, it was time to seal the deal." With that, the man moved again. And again. Every time Robin gasped or mewled, still unable to really process what was happening. He had frozen, in a way, and just closed his eyes in submission. Slade noticed this and chuckled in victory before sitting up a bit, pulling Robin along with him and, holding onto the teen's hips, set a faster pace.

His chest was still resting on the mattress, though the man had forced him up on his knees. It was somewhat uncomfortable which made him come back to himself just enough to support himself on his elbows. It was like he was in another world, filled with strange new sensations and that sudden, jolting movement which somehow prevented him to make sense of it all, simply because of the burst of new impulses it sent through him. His mewls turned to moans without him noticing, and the harder Slade went, the more sensations flooded his mind. Just as the teen thought he couldn't take it anymore, the man behind him reached around and a large, callused hand closed around the teen's member. It was more or less all it took for the young man to cry out in ecstasy. Slade had timed it with his own release and not long afterwards they were both stretched out on the bed, panting.

Robin knew he should be furious, but right now he couldn't find the energy to. He was sticky and hot, and shivers were still running through him. What was he going to do? Call the cops? Alfred? At the thought of the old man Robin internally winced. Despite him calling for help before, he still didn't want the man to find out. It was… shameful. And Robin had known, the whole time, who Slade was, who he was bringing into the house… it was his own fault. The man's words about all the people that would suffer also started to sink in a bit more. The whole of Gotham. Jobs, security, charity… was that worth this… what had Slade said? 'A few moments of discomfort and unwanted pleasure'? He had suffered for Gotham before. Really suffered. The taking bullets and getting beaten up kind. Was it right of him to consider betraying the city now? For something like this? Something that didn't even include risking his life? Something that hadn't even been painful? It seemed to… ridiculous.

The young ex-hero moved, slowly, about to roll out of bed.

"And where do you think you're going?" Slade asked and grabbed his hip again, pulling him back.

"To… make that breakfast?" the teen tried.

"Heh, we'll have brunch later. For now…" the man suddenly rolled the teen over on his back and climbed on top of him, holding himself up on hands and knees. Robin glanced down between their bodies and his eyes widened.

"You're… already?"

"You won't be far behind, don't worry," the man smirked and then lowered himself down. The teen didn't understand what was in store for him before Slade's lips met his. The man kissed his lips, jaw, neck and then up to his lips again, all while grinding their lower bodies together. Robin didn't want to feel anything, but the Slade seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

"Now be a good boy and kiss me back and I'll take things slow again," the man let him know as he positioned the teen and himself better, ready for entry. Robin decided it was a small price to pay and obeyed. He still gasped as it breeched him. It felt somehow bigger in this position. Once the man started thrusting, however, Robin discovered something else that was different. Before, his prostate had been brushed, but now it was almost assaulted, sending even stronger sensations through him. So strong that the teen had trouble deciding if they were good or bad. It was impossible for him to distance himself when this was going on and so Slade again forced him towards the climax like the man was hearding a stubborn sheep. Every time Robin thought he could stop the feelings the man did something new, a new angle, a different speed, kissing a new area… soon the teen was crying out both from his release but also frustration.

Again Slade stopped him from getting up from the bed. It took longer this time, and the man took his time, touching and kissing him, but eventually Robin was hard again and Slade fucked him one last time.

"There. You're not very likely to have the energy to fight or run now," the man chuckled contently.

"Mrghmmrrg…" Robin groaned into his pillow.

"Time to get up, shower, and make me that brunch."

"You're kidding me?!" The teen lifted his face long enough to grunt that out and then let it crash back down. He wasn't moving. He couldn't move. Somehow, he still ended up in the shower a few moments later, having simply been carried there. He literally had to cling to the man to be able to stand, which amused Slade immensely and, in a huge gesture of generosity, the mercenary actually ended up cooking.

They ate in silence. Robin didn't want to raise his eyes from his plate. His face was red. He didn't know why he was embarrassed, but he was. Deeply. And ashamed. He knew he was supposedly the victim here, but it didn't help as much as it should.

"Is my punishment over now?" he eventually muttered, breaking the silence.

"I feel it was more of a reward, but I guess so, why?" the man wanted to know.

"So… you're not gonna do it again? If I behave perfectly, I mean?" There was an odd mix of hope and distrust in his voice.

"I wouldn't say that," Slade said thoughtfully and scratched his stubbled chin. "As I see it, you, for now, obey me. Why not in the bedroom too, as you are exceedingly good at it?"

"Good at just lying there and taking it?" Robin snorted.

"Is that what you thought you were doing? Oh, no, you moved perfectly with me, at least by the end. And the way you tightened when-"

"Stop! I don't want to hear it!" Robin yelled and childishly clamped his hands over his ears.

"Besides," Slade added. "It makes you relax."

"If this is relaxed, I don't want to be that…" the teen muttered.

"Don't be sullen. You know you enjoyed it, and I will strive for that in the future as well, as long as you have deserved it. You also know you won't tell anyone. You won't ruin everything over something like this. You won't even tell Alfred. It would break his heart… maybe literally… that kind of shock at his age…"

"Shut up! Don't go there!" Robin yelled.

"Oh, you know me… I like to explore all your sore places," the man leered at him. "Not funny?" he added, seeing the teen's expression. "Oh, well… back to work."

A/N: ok, so… that happened. Thoughts?


	7. Chapter 7: Under Control

**A/N: **Update days changed! My summer vacation is over, but I have Tuesdays free this term, to get more time for university, so I've decided to move updates to Tuesdays instead, meaning this update is early.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 7: Under Control**

It seemed impossible, but not much later Robin found himself sitting and reading a report like the morning never happened. Part of him welcomed it. Work was distracting, it helped him to distance himself from the earlier events. What had happened had both changed things and not affected them in the least. The teen found that he could accept what had happened surprisingly easy; it had all been moving in that direction. His relationship with Slade had always had certain undertones and now, when they were both adults… well, it didn't surprise him that the man had taken it this far. However, it was clear to Robin that he needed to make sure this was a temporary thing. It had been partly nice to have had to give up control, no matter how much he complained. It had felt like he was a child again, and after what he had been going through it had been surprisingly welcome, no matter how hard it was to admit. But now the teen knew he had to work towards taking back control again, he just needed to figure some things out about himself and his future first. And he had to learn much more about the business world, so he wouldn't lose everything by making the wrong move, once it was time to break free. He had a very good idea about who to talk to, though, as soon as he got the opportunity.

* * *

Slade was almost humming to himself as he worked. It had been a very good morning. Sure, he was there as a favor to Bruce, to help a certain young man back on his feet, but who said he couldn't help himself in the meanwhile? He knew enough about the teen now to be certain that it would do no harm in the long run. He had made damn sure the boy had enjoyed himself, albeit against his will, but that was why Robin would feel like he was partly to blame, so to speak. The man chuckled very quietly to himself. Heroes. So easy to manipulate. Besides, Robin _was_ his. Maybe not forever and not in the sense that he wanted to marry him- Slade paused at that thought. It would be a good way of keeping the boy, if he wanted to. It would be a plausible story to the press as well; workplace romances were common. He then mentally shrugged, and stowed that plan away for possible future use, unless he'd grow bored. He expected he would, eventually, although there had not been any signs of it so far. The boy had fascinated him for years, although he had kept away for the last couple of them. Not to be a good person, oh no, but because he couldn't see an opportunity to work with. Then one fell into his lap. Who was he to say no? Slade rarely turned down a thrill or pleasure if he could help it, and the young man was a two-in-one deal.

* * *

Robin came across an economical term he wasn't really familiar with and was going to use his phone to look it up when he discovered that it was still silencing calls and messages from others than Slade and Alfred. He had completely forgotten about that and he had quite a few messages from Roy.

"Hi, how's the date goin?"

"Really well I guess?"

"Wanna go clubbing afterwards?"

"Hello?"

"Why the hell aren't you answering?"

"Seriously, the dinner isn't over yet?"

"Lex needs to be in bed by now, he's an old man."

"Guess going out is a no?"

"I'm heading out, meet me at SixtyNine!"

"You're not here, so I guess you're home being boring."

"Hey, found someone not boring!"

The message was followed by a picture of a cute blond guy with maybe a bit too much make up. He was smiling at the camera but his eyes looked a bit unfocused like he was drunk.

"Come on, Dick! Don't be a dick!"

"Gotta dick for you!"

And yes, the next picture was a dick pic. Robin groaned and scrolled away.

"Going home with someone who appreciates me."

"Join us?"

The next couple of pictures included the blond teen and they were completely pornographic. The messages stopped after that.

"… Slade?" Robin felt… something… angry? Disappointed? Irritated? He turned to the only source of decisions around. He wanted to call the knuckle head up, but couldn't, without permission.

"Yes?" the man walked over when the teen held out his phone to him. He scrolled through the messages. Robin watched him intently, looking for expressions of annoyance, anger… jealousy…? There was nothing at first and then the man smirked.

"Not surprising you didn't remember his dick," he said, actually making the teen chuckle for a second.

"May I call him?" Robin asked.

"To say what?"

"I… don't know."

"He doesn't seem to be much of a friend…?" the man probed.

"Look who's talking! After what _you_ just did!" Robin snorted.

"How could you be under the impression that I was ever your _friend_?" Slade chuckled. "You know who I am. I'm your master."

The word, coming back from so long ago, sent an icy chill up the teen's spine, but, at the same time, he could feel that the man was right. He didn't want him to be right, but Slade controlled his life right now, so… He didn't answer, instead he steered the conversation elsewhere.

"He's an idiot sometimes, especially when he drinks, but he's not all that bad. Don't you want me to call and at least see about setting things straight? For the business sake, if nothing else?" he said.

"Very well. Not for too long, though," Slade told him and then looked down on Robin's phone again. "You also have a missed call and a message from Lex. He thanks you for a lovely evening."

"Should… Should I call him back too?" Robin wanted to know.

"I think that's the polite thing to do, yes."

"Alright," Robin sighed and got his phone back. He began with calling Roy.

"…What…?" a really groggy voice eventually answered after Robin was about to hang up.

"You are still sleeping? It's almost lunchtime!" Robin told him.

"I… uuurgh… yeah… I… wait, who the fuck are you?"

"Umm… Richard…?" the teen said.

"No, not you, idiot, the guy in my bed," the redhead chuckled.

"Is he blonde?"

"How did you know?"

"You… sent pictures last night."

"I did…? Fuuuck… I was fucking plastered, sorry."

"I kinda could tell. You were a bit of an ass, frankly."

"Sorry, but… wait, why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Well, I was at dinner, so I turned it off and then I completely forgot to turn it on again until pretty much now," Robin fibbed. He didn't want to tell his friend that he had actually silenced him, even though it wasn't just him.

"How did it go?" Roy asked.

Robin hesitated. "Oh, it went well. Kinda boring," he said, deciding against telling the archer the truth. If this came out, Lex would know who had blabbed and Robin had a feeling that he couldn't QUITE trust his friend with juicy things like that.

"See? You should have gone out with me. Wanna do anything today?"

"I think I have work, but I'll check," Robin said but Roy interrupted him.

"Come on, it's the weekend! I'm not effing gonna work on weekends!"

"Doesn't Oliver?" Robin asked, as it sounded strange to him.

"Well, yeah I guess, but what kind of life is that?"

Robin bristled. He already felt trapped in this role, there were already too many expectations on him, too many 'musts'. "I have a business to run. I have to be an adult about this, I have to prioritize my company right now, so yeah, I have to check if I'm busy," he said and lowered the phone. "Slade, how does the rest of the day look?"

"Up to you," the man said in a very low voice.

The teen thought things over for a second and then got back to his friend. "Sorry, I'm going to be busy… maybe some time this week?"

"Yeah, sure… there was something Oliver was talking about needing help with later too, can't remember…" Roy muttered, his voice still very gruff. "Later?"

"Later," the teen replied and hung up.

"Aw, so heartwarming to know that you'd rather spend the day with me," Slade smirked at him.

"That's not why."

"Why you lied? Alright, enlighten me?"

"I… I…" the teen thought things over. He wasn't completely clear on why he had done this himself. "He would have just talked about going clubbing last night," he finally answered. "He'll probably show me more pictures too. I just don't want that right now."

"I don't blame you; he didn't have anything you needed to see twice," the man smirked.

Robin snorted and then took a deep breath before calling Luthor.

"Lex? Hi, it's Richard, sorry I missed your call, I was in the gym."

"That's one productive way to spend a Sunday morning, I almost feel inspired," the businessman said in a dry voice which Robin had learned to interpret as him joking, so the teen chuckled.

"Thanks. And thank you for last night, I agree, it was really nice, I just wanted to apologize for… you know… the wine and the whining, basically."

"Like I said, whenever you need to talk… but if you feel like making it up to me, I have a favor to ask," the man said and Robin was immediately on guard, although he only let curiosity into his voice.

"Oh? What?"

"There is an art exhibition this afternoon. I have been invited but my date just cancelled. These things are dreadful to go to alone. Would you like to join me?"

"Oh, let me just check… at what time?"

"Three in the afternoon. Maybe we could have an early meal afterwards…?"

"One moment." Robin quickly relayed the plans to Slade who, to the teen's disappointment, approved. "Yes, I have nothing I can't reschedule, I'd love to come with you."

"Perfect, I will pick you up at two-thirty," the man told him. "It's the Carl Larsson exhibition at the Gotham Museum of Art. I don't believe there's a specific dress code."

"Thank you, it will be interesting. I have to read up on the artist, though, I've never heard of him."

"Swedish… the turn of the last century, I think," the man let him know, and they ended the call.

"Why do I have to go with him?" Robin asked Slade a moment later.

"Because 'm very curious about this other side of him. Either it's genuine interest or he's up to something."

"And the talk about me belonging to you…?" the teen muttered.

"Doesn't mean I can't lend my belongings out once in a while," the man told him with a smirk. Robin was surprised about how much that stung.

Slade saw the look in the teen's eyes and inwardly chuckled. Sweet. Now, he wasn't as happy to let others have the boy as he had let on, but if it fitted with his plans, then why not? He hesitated. No. When it came to Lex he found, like he discovered before, that he didn't feel very generous at all… still, it didn't hurt if the teen _thought_ he was… if the boy found out he had any kind of hold on him at all Slade was sure Robin would use that to his advantage. Besides, Robin wouldn't go too far, he was sure, but he was actually curious about if Lex would continue to pursue the boy or if it had been a one-time spur of the moment thing.

Slade had decided that Robin should wear dress pants and a nice collared shirt, nothing too fancy but definitely not too causal either. Lex, of course, wore a suit and tie, Robin didn't think the man had anything else and giggled at a thought.

"Penny for your thoughts again?" the man smiled at him.

"Well, I was basically wondering if your pajamas have a suit and tie print on them?" Robin grinned.

"Want to find out?"

The teen blushed, "Well you look very handsome, anyway," he mumbled, making the older man chuckle.

They walked through the gallery where very romanticized pictures hung on the wall.

"What do you think?" Luthor asked him after a while.

"Well, they are very pretty," Robin started. "But… I don't know… they remind me more of postcards or illustrations."

"You prefer something edgier when it comes to art?"

"I haven't really thought about it, but yeah, I think I do. But again, the pictures are beautiful."

"You should think about it, art investment is one of the best ways to secure your personal fortune."

"It is? I thought it was a gamble…?"

"Not when it comes to the classics, although of course prizes can vary some. New artists can rise and fall over night, but if you have good advisors, you can make a short term investment."

"I've been so focused on the company that I've forgotten about my personal finances…" Robin sighed. "I know the house has some high-end art but I don't know more than that. I'm assuming there's a list somewhere."

"You should start looking into your own investments. Stock market, art market, precious stones and metals…"

"I guess I have to," the teen sighed again. "Thank you. I assume Bruce had people for that… we probably still employ them. Maybe I can ask Wilson or Alfred to help me out."

"Yes, about Wilson… what kind of work does he do for you?" the question was a bit sharper than Luthor had probably intended for it to be.

Robin blinked up at him, feigning ignorance and confusion. "He's my business consultant. He looks into and teaches me the business?"

"Of course. Who recommended him?"

"Not sure. He showed up and apparently Bruce had been working with him on several occasions. Apparently, they were friends of sorts. He had good credentials so I hired him. Is…. Is there something I should look out for?"

"Not at all, I'm just curious. A man like Slade Wilson doesn't just work for anyone."

"Hey, I'm not 'just anyone'!" Robin objected playfully.

"Indeed you're not," Lex smirked down at him. "Oh, by the way, I am expecting a phone call. Rude, I know, but I needed to adapt to the time in Europe, so when my phone rings I will need to excuse myself for a few minutes."

"No problem, business is business," the teen shrugged. Not long afterwards the man's phone did indeed ring and he excused himself to take the call in more privacy.

Many people were slowly circulating in the several rooms the exhibition took place in. Robin was standing in front of a painting of a little girl eating a sandwich. A cat was at her feet and it turned out to be very appropriate as he heard a low voice next to hm.

"Hello Robin, is Deathstroke around?"

The teen, to his credit, barely jumped and then glanced to his side where Selena stood, smiling slightly at him.

"No, no he's not. Um… sorry for… well…"

The woman made an impatient gesture. "I should apologize. I won't, of course, but I should. It was a really bad day. Could have ended worse, though, so…"

Robin nodded. "So… you're into art?"

"Just seeing if there's anything interesting to steal."

"Ah." Robin grinned a bit. He had had his own Selena, in a way, back in Jump; in Red X.

"You're not going to try to talk me out of it? Threaten me? Stop me?" the woman asked playfully.

Robin sighed. "No. Not in that business anymore. Besides, you rarely hurt anyone when you steal."

"Your business is hanging on the arm of super villains now…? Two of them?"

"I don't hang on _anyone's _arm!" Robin snorted. "Luthor is just business."

"And Wilson?"

Robin hesitated. "He… He's helping. In a way."

"But not without a cost…?"

Robin blushed slightly and the woman snorted softly. "I thought so," she growled. "Men! Sometimes I think Poison Ivy is right about all of them. I assume he has you caught too? Blackmail?"

"Yes, but… he has really helped as well!" Robin tried to defend, not Slade, but himself. He felt weak for letting this go on, but he wasn't sure what would have happened if Slade hadn't stepped in.

"Of course. He'll make sure to be a good asset to you, so you'll be a nice little grateful boy," the woman sneered. "You need to get out of there, kid! This world isn't for you! You should be kicking these men's asses, not kissing them!"

"It's… complicated. The company, the history-"

"Screw it all! Set up a bank account in a different name, liquify as much of your own assets you can, and get back to Jump where you belong, back to your team. I love Alfred to death, but he has deserved a pension, hasn't he? Make sure he's set too. He can go back to his family in England, he'll be safe there… or give him another identity too, you have the funds to make them watertight."

"You don't think a hit to Wayne industries would be bad for Gotham?" the teen asked.

The woman looked unsure for a bit, but then shrugged. "Do what you gotta do for _you_, kid. Look out for number one, that's my motto."

"It's… complicated," the teen sighed.

"Still," the woman handed him a piece of paper. "My number. If you need… contacts."

Robin smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you, Selina. I might. Sooner or later."

The woman turned and left. Robin looked at the paper, memorized the number and stepped into a nearby bathroom to flush it. It amused him that he was that paranoid, but he was. When he came back out Lex was there, obviously looking for him.

"Over here, sorry. Nature called," Robin excused himself and smiled at the man. "I hope it was good news from Europe?"

"Splendid ones," the man smiled back. "Now, are we finished here? I have to admit I'm a little bored."

Robin grinned and nodded. Before they left, they were stopped by a few photographers, though, who wanted their picture and statements about the exhibition. Robin gushed while Lex was more conservative in his praise. The teen noticed that Luthor placed his hand on his shoulder as they posed for photos and inwardly hoped Clark wouldn't see them. Just as they were about to leave, the teen was stopped by someone grabbing his arm.

"Dick! The hell? I thought you had to work?" Roy was not looking that happy and behind him Oliver was trying not to stare daggers at Luthor.

"I was, but Lex invited me here," Robin said. "Oliver, Roy, you have met Mr. Luthor, haven't you?" he said and introduce them, trying to give the redhead a warning look. The other teen seemed pissed, though, and glared back at him.

"I'll call you later," Roy almost threateningly said, and then the two of them walked off.

"Childish. You don't need influences like those in your life right now," Luthor told him. "Forget about them and let me introduce you to a small Italian restaurant I know."

Robin let himself be led away and at the restaurant he also let Luthor order. It really was a small place, but clearly upscale and Robin enjoyed the early dinner immensely. They talked about many different things, not only business, and the teen got the impression that, at least sometimes, Luthor wasn't 'working' but merely enjoying himself as well. He managed to play the well-meaning mentor type very convincingly, but Robin had trouble forgetting that kiss. That really didn't fit into this role the man was playing so why had a man with seemingly so much self-control as Lex Luthor ever let that happened… what did the man really want?

The man insisted on driving him home and Robin didn't mind.

"Thank you for a great afternoon," the teen said.

"Likewise," the man smiled.

"Well, if any date of yours ever cancels again…?" the young man grinned. He knew that it was borderline flirting, but he was curious what the man would do with the bait.

"You deserve more than being a back-up," the billionaire smirked at him, making the teen blush.

"Aw, chucks," he grinned, acting like the man had joked. "But thanks. Have a nice evening now, and thanks again!" he said as he opened the car door and got out. He gave a short wave as the car pulled away, and saw the man doing the same.

The teen had hoped to sneak in, but of course Slade showed up in the entrance hall almost as soon as Robin came through the door. The man was wearing a robe, his hair looking slightly damp. The teen assumed he had been working out and now, by the looks of it, was rewarding himself with a glass of undoubtedly expensive whisky, as he was holding a glass of the auburn liquid.

"Is Alfred back yet?" Robin asked.

"Yes, but he has retired for the night," the man told him. "Come with me to report."

Robin expected them to go to the office or maybe the Batcave and was surprised when the man walked upstairs and turned into the private wing. Slade then opened the door to his own bedroom and gestured for him to enter, and the teen's heart sank.

Robin swallowed as he reluctantly walked into the room. He heard the door close and lock behind him. Slade seemed to be in no particular hurry. He walked over to the bed, and soon sat with his back against the headboard, sipping his drink and looking very comfortable, the exact opposite of how the teen felt.

"What are you waiting for?" the man asked him and Robin looked at him a bit dumbfounded before the man clarified with an impatient snort "Report!".

The hero let out a small sigh of relief. Report. He could do that. So he did. How they had gotten there, their discussion about the art, what Lex had said about his expected phone call.

"Undress."

"Wh-what?"

"You can do two things at once, can't you?" the man leered at him. "Undress. Slowly. I'm not going to ask you to dance for me or anything inane like that, but I want to enjoy the show. So… the call? Did it come? Did it take long?"

"I… I…" Robin fumbled with his shirt buttons, his mind trying to find the answers, desperately. "Five minutes or so, he said it was good news," he explained, while undoing his shirt. He continued with their run-in with the archers, to which Slade snorted.

"You are going to invite them for dinner tomorrow night. Let's patch this over. Call Oliver, though, not the boy."

Robin wanted to point out that Roy was a year older than him, but let it go. Instead he shrugged off his shirt and hung it over a chair. He suddenly realized that he hadn't told the man about Selena, as Slade had interrupted him, and froze. He didn't want to, but what if the mercenary already knew? What if this was a trap?"

"What's wrong with you, get going!" the man barked at him.

"Pants… pants too?"

"In my book 'undress' doesn't simply include taking your shirt off. All of it. Go on. You're acting like I haven't seen you naked before."

Robin half nodded. Slade was right, of course. They had showered together and… much more. It was the 'more', and what him taking his clothes off this time might lead to, that he didn't really want to think about. He toes off his shoes.

"Turn your back against me, bend over and take off your socks," the man instructed. "And did I tell you to stop talking?"

Robin picked up the report as they left for the restaurant and tried to focus on that instead of the fact that he was obeying the man. He had played with the idea of actually acting willing and seductive, to try to gain some control of the mercenary that way, but firstly he thought that Slade would see through him, which would be bad, and secondly, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He would try to stay as civil around the man as he could, though, because he felt that he really needed his guidance, no matter how much he loathed to admit it.

He removed his pants and underwear in one go, feeling no need to drag it out any longer and he told the man the last details of the afternoon.

"Good," Slade nodded and took a sip of his drink. "Turn around. Slowly."

Robin did, blushing. It wasn't easy for him to be scrutinized like this. It was like the first day but then he had at least had a towel. The man's single eye was just as focused on him as now, though, seemingly taking in and judging every little detail, while slowly finishing the drink.

The man hummed. "Looking good. Maybe a bit more core, but I like you more slender than bulky. Your ass is a piece of art, they should hang_ that _in that museum. It would draw bigger crowds."

"Are you done looking yet?" Robin snorted.

The man met his gaze and smirked. "Never."

The teen felt his face heat up even more, the flush travelling down his chest. Slade looked so… hungry. It was frightening, but the teen had long since learned to connect fear with excitement, and adrenaline was now rushing through his body. He felt his skin tingle… and not just his skin.

He didn't know if anything was visible, but Slade chuckled so low he was almost purring. The young hero then discovered that the man's robe was tenting, and that send yet another shock through his system. _He_ had done that. He had had that effect on the man, who hadn't even touched himself. It was… Robin swallowed. It was pretty intense in some strange way, like he suddenly had the power here. He snorted to himself. Fat chance of that. He wouldn't be allowed to leave. Never, or at least seldom, hurt to try, though.

"Do you have any questions about the report, sir? May I go?" he asked stiffly.

"Go? When you can't take your eye off my cock? I would never be so cruel as to deny you some release," the man chuckled. "Unless you didn't deserve it," he amended. "But you've done well. Come here."

Reluctantly he got closer until he was within the man's reach. Slade then grabbed his arm and pulled him down on top of himself. "Good boy. Straddle me," the man ordered.

Robin obeyed, seating himself across the man's thighs, trying not to look at what had now been exposed a bit further up.

"How does it feel? Do you feel in control?" Slade smirked up at him.

"No," Robin mumbled.

"Good. But you are welcome to pretend that you are. Now, don't be shy. Scoot forward a little." The man grabbed his hips and pulled him up to groin level. The teen felt the man's hardness under him, wedged there in an apparently pleasurable way. "Why don't you focus on making your master feel good for a while?" Slade suggested and leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. "The playing field is yours. Unless I get impatient with you. I don't think you want me to."

It was a thinly veiled threat and Robin of course picked up on it. He was, however, inexperienced and didn't quite know what to do with himself. He started hesitantly moving his hips a little, back and forth, watching the man's face carefully for any signs of pleasure or annoyance. It seemed to work, and he could feel the man swell underneath him. It wouldn't be enough, though, the teen knew that, so he shuffled down, slowly in case the man objected, making sure to keep as much eye contact with Slade as possible to be sure.

He carefully gripped the man's length and stroked it. It felt… alien. Not at all like stroking himself, it was like they weren't even the same species. The man made an impatient sound and Robin's eyes darted up to his face again. Slade wasn't satisfied with just his hand. Quickly the teen bent forward and took the head of the man's cock into his mouth, straining to get it to fit without scraping it with his teeth. After glancing upwards, it seems the man was pleased once more. Relived, Robin kept going. It was a new experience not having the man's hands or hips dictate the depth and speed, and it actually made him a bit insecure. Was he going too slow? To fast? Not deep enough? Would the man want him to lick more? He tried it all, hoping for some verbal instruction, but none came.

When he had worked so hard for so long that there was a thin sheen of sweat on his brow non-verbal instructions finally came in the form of a tube Slade tossed towards him. Lube. Robin looked up and Slade raised an eyebrow at him, obviously wondering why the boy was stalling. The teen swallowed and flipped the lid of the tube open, put some on his fingers and started to apply it to the man's member. After some consideration he added a bit more. He then, again feeling very embarrassed, moved his fingers behind himself and wiped the residue off around his opening. He didn't push his fingers inside, though, he couldn't bring himself to. He peeked up at Slade once more and still seeing a hint of impatience there, moved up to straddle the man's crotch again. Then the technical part began.

"Um… how… how do I…?" he said. Even though the man was hard, very hard, there was no way Robin simply could impale himself by backing up or sitting down.

"You're clever, figure it out," the man smirked at him.

Robin huffed, reached behind him and grabbed the slippery length. Trying to hold it steady. It slipped away a few times, luckily to the man's amusement and not annoyance, but Robin, in turn, got annoyed. In the end it was in position, and the teen pushed down a little. He was too tense, however, and again the cock just slid uselessly between his cheeks.

"Fuck!" he growled.

"Yes, that was the general idea," the man drawled.

Robin muttered a few words under his breath about the man and what he could do with his own penis, but again it was fortunately only met with amusement.

It was once more in a good position. Robin closed his eyes, focused on breathing and relaxing and then tried again. This time it started to work, but suddenly the teen lifted himself up with a yelp.

"I… I'm too sore. I can't," he said, looking down at the man with pleading eyes.

"Too sore?"

"Y-yes, it hurt!" the teen claimed. It had only been for a second, but he was scared and images of tearing back there had started to play in his mind.

"Are you absolutely sure you're too sore?" the man asked him, slowly, giving him a calculating look. "Too sore to fuck yourself on my cock?"

The teen's breath hitched in his throat. That wording. Did it mean that if he insisted, Slade would flip him over and fuck him instead? It sounded like that, and if it hurt _now_… well, that would be nothing compared to if the man got to set his own pace.

"I'll… I'll try again."

"Good."

It was still hard to relax and it still hurt but Robin bit his bottom lip hard and worked through the pain. As soon as the head popped inside him and his muscles closed around the shaft, the pain eased. He was still not trusting it, however and, breathing much too shallowly, slowly lowered himself down. Once he was seated in the man's lap, he let out a long sigh and was finally able to relax. He felt almost triumphant when he glanced up at Slade but was met with a pleased smirk that reminded him of his place again.

"Are you going to move, or should I?" the man asked.

Robin groaned. Slade would not let him have any sort of break, would he? But again, the teen preferred to keep the little control he had, so he awkwardly and carefully rose up a little bit before sliding down again. It didn't hurt, so he did it again, with a bit more confidence this time. And then again. The fourth time he had changed position just slightly and it suddenly felt good. There was a little bit of a burn, but even that felt good, like an itch he wanted to scratch. He grabbed on to Slade's shoulders to steady himself and help him gain some momentum and then he could go a bit faster.

He didn't feel bad for the pleasures he felt, because to him it was like an act of defiance against Slade. He didn't think the man meant for him to enjoy this, no matter what he had claimed before, so if he did it was like spitting in the man's face. The image gave him another idea. He was on top. Slade was below him. Could he_ come_ on the man's face? The idea really excited him, and he rode that wave to a quick release. Unfortunately, his cum only reached Slade's chest, but at that moment he didn't really care.

"That was quick," the man drawled.

"Mm…" Robin mumbled, not quite back on this plane of existence yet.

"How do you plan to get me off?" Slade asked, almost curiously. "Snap out of it and keep riding!"

"… can't…" Robin panted. He had come and his body had decided that it was done.

"Are you sure?" Slade asked again, but this time the teen was too tired to pick up on the warning; he merely mumbled something affirmative.

The next moment he was grabbed and Slade, still inside him, rolled them over. The man didn't waste any time setting a brutal pace, leaving the young hero gasping for breath, clutching his back. He didn't have to stand it for too long, however, before the man came, which he took as a small, very small, victory.

Maybe ten seconds of silence followed as the man rested on top of him. He then rolled off and got out of bed.

"Change the sheets and go," Slade told him, indicating a pile of clean sheets on the dresser.

The man then disappeared into the ensuite bathroom and the teen heard the shower start.

He didn't want to be there when the man came out, so he hurriedly threw his clothes back on and basically ripped the sheets off the bed. He felt used, of course, but he was more worried about the feelings of abandonment he had, as if he longed for the man to snuggle with him afterwards, kiss him, caress him, make sure he was alright. He didn't want to want those things! It was just that compared to this morning the man acted very cold and businesslike and that made the teen feel very small and longing for his approval. That, in turn, made him feel angry, almost nauseous, but it was a feeling he still wasn't able to shake even when he had showered and crawled into his own bed. It was only eight in the evening, not nearly time for bed, but Slade had sent him away and Robin was sure as hell not going to go looking for another punishment, so he had decided to stick to his room. After everything he was tired anyway.

_To be Continued…_

A/N: hope you enjoyed… things will get more complicated soon enough, I think… 😉


	8. Chapter 8: Take Control

A/N: As it's Tuesday, the new upload day, here's the chapter. I'm currently about two chapters ahead and I'm trying to get further ahead before university starts. This won't be a super-long story, though, I don't think, my current stories usually end up around 10 chapters long give or take a few chapters. How do you think it will end? Should I just drop an atom bomb on Gotham to sort out this mess, or would that only make Slade annoyed?

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 8: Take Control**

He had fallen into a light slumber when his door suddenly opened.

"Bed already?" Slade asked him, coming in and shutting the door behind him. The man was again dressed in a short robe which was somewhat open at the front, showing off his chiseled chest and abs.

"Did… did you want me to do something?" There was pleading in Robin's voice, it was very clear that the teen wanted to be left alone.

"No, not particularly," the man smirked and sat down on the bed. The young hero moved a little bit to the side to make more room and put a little bit of distance between them. "I just need to tell you what I expect from you from now on."

"Sex?" Robin sneered.

"You're very clever," the man chuckled. "Yes. I think my services deserve a bit of… physical gratification."

"Sure you do," the teen muttered. The man's hand was on his hip, stroking it almost absentmindedly.

"I was never _not _going to fuck you," the man smirked down at him. "It was going to happen sooner or later, but you have to admit you're getting something out of it too."

"Yeah. I get sore."

The man outright laughed. He must be in a splendid mood, the teen figured, maybe fucking him now and again would actually turn out favorable.

"I'll make sure you get used to the feeling," the man promised, and then surprisingly, bent down and kissed the teen's lips. There was still hunger in the kiss and Robin was worried that the man would start all over again, but instead he pulled back.

"You're a very good lay, boy, and you will get even better once I train you properly. Trust me, your future lovers will want to know who to thank."

Robin snorted. The man's tone wasn't a hundred percent joking.

"I'm so grateful," he drawled.

"You should be. Now, if you're tired; sleep. A whole lovely week ahead of us in the world of business. You'll be so bored you'll be begging for my cock in no time."

"Wanna bet?" Robin growled.

"No, because you are unnecessarily stubborn sometimes. I think I'll just fuck you when I feel like it instead."

"Lovely."

"Isn't it?" the man smirked and stood up. "Good night. Pleasant dreams. Oh, and I almost forgot; call Oliver about the dinner. Doesn't have to be tomorrow night, but sometime this week. Send me a text with the day and time afterwards."

Robin nodded and reached for his phone. As usual he appreciated getting an assignment to do.

* * *

The talk with Oliver was a little bit awkward. They were supposed to be on equal grounds now, both owners of big companies, but the guy was a big man-child at the best of times and Robin had a feeling he had problems taking anything he said seriously, not even the invitation. It turned out that they had time the next night, however, so Robin let Slade and Alfred know and went to bed, trying to sort through his emotions. He considered locking his door, but as that would break Slade's rule, he didn't dare. His mind lingered on the rules until his eyes suddenly went wide. He just remembered that he hadn't told the man about Selina. Did Slade know? Would he find out? Was he planning a punishment this very second? Should Robin run to him, confess and beg for forgiveness? It was all Slade's fault for interrupting him and distracting him anyway, he hadn't meant to withhold the information. Or had he? Subconsciously?

"AAARGH!" the teen hit his pillow in frustration. He then sighed and managed to square his shoulders even though he was in bed. No. He wouldn't tell. This was a bit of a rebellion and it was good for him. In fact, he should be planning ahead on his own and decide what he wanted to do. It had all been too overwhelming so far, but what if Slade didn't let him go? He needed to break away from the man just as much as he needed to stay with him now. Robin again vowed to soak up as much as the man's knowledge as he could as quickly as he could and turn to the only one he thought he could turn to. The new… 'state' of his and Slade's relationship wasn't going to change anything. He just had to reevaluate how he saw sex and not connect any feelings to it. His mind toyed with the idea of having sex with Speedy, but the teen only snorted at the idea. Nope. Lex…? His mind lingered a bit at that image, curiously. Then he shook his head. He doubted the situation would present itself anyway.

* * *

Work was mostly meetings the next day. They had worked out in the morning as usual, but Slade hadn't as much as touched him or leered at him, which somehow both relaxed the teen and put him more on edge.

Around lunch he got an email from Lex, recommending an article in Forbes.

"Take some time to read it," Slade suggested. "It will show that you listen to him."

Robin nodded; he had been thinking the same thing. It took a little bit of research and asking Slade to explain some things for him to fully understand the article, and in the end he snorted.

"This was a test of his, wasn't it?"

"Yes. You must be sure to bring it up when you meet again."

"You think he will invite me out again?"

"Actually, maybe you should take the first step this time. It's your city, you should play the host. Do you know of anywhere special you could take him? Somewhere not everyone has access to?"

"Yup," Robin deadpanned. "Arkham."

* * *

"Hi Dick, what's for dinner?" the redhead grinned. It was clear to Robin that the other teen either didn't think his texts had been anything to apologize for or that he was just trying to move on. He hadn't called after their meeting at the art gallery either. Robin smiled and decided to get over it too. Roy had been drunk and frustrated that night; he hadn't meant anything by it.

"I'm sure Alfred has planned something delicious," he grinned. "Hello Oliver, let me introduce Slade Wilson, my business consultant. I'm not sure you met properly at the party?"

"Not really," the blond man smiled, a bit tightly, and shook the mercenary's hand.

"I've read up on you a bit. You used to work in Berlin?"

"That's right," Slade nodded. "Among a lot of other places."

"I always love Marienplatz, ever been there?" Oliver asked.

"I have," Slade started, "But I think you're mixing things up. Marienplatz is in Munich."

"Ah. Yes. My mistake," the other man grinned and waved it all away.

Robin and Slade shared a look as it was clear, to them at least, that the older archer was testing the man. Robin hoped Slade could back his story up.

"Here you go," Oliver then said and handed Robin a bottle of wine. "Now, Al! Any drinks before dinner?"

"Certainly," the butler said, as Robin thanked the man for the wine and handed it over to Alfred. "If you would care to have a seat in the sitting room, I'll be right there."

They hadn't prepared drinks as it was just them and Monday night to boot, but the archers both seemed thirsty.

Alfred soon rejoined them and served the requested drinks. Both Robin and Slade declined the alcohol and getting iced water with lemon instead, something that made Roy snort.

"We really need to loosen you up a bit," he told his friend.

"Since when have I ever been much of a drinker?" the teen chuckled, pretending the other teen had been joking.

"A drink or two won't do you any harm," Oliver said, raising his glass. "Al, give the boy a whisky, let's see if he can handle it."

"No, thank you," Robin said. Alfred hadn't even as much as moved, which the teen loved him for. "Anyway, how is business? I wasn't aware that you had so many branches here that requires so much of your attention?"

"We have some," the man shrugged. "Just thought I'd start out small, showing the boy the ropes little by little."

"And that's going well?" Slade asked smoothly. There wasn't any attitude in the voice, but it could certainly be interpreted as a challenge.

"Well enough," the man said guardedly.

They chatted for a short while before Alfred invited them through to the small dining room. There was wine with the three dishes and Robin had half a glass with each. Slade had a full glass with each dish and the other two finished off the rest, including the extra bottle for the main course. As dessert was served, tongues were a bit more lose and suddenly Oliver let something slip that had Robin's eyes widen in something close to horror.

"You thought… what?" he asked meekly.

"Two young gay men like yourselves, both businessmen… I just ran it by Roy a few weeks ago… it would be good for business, I'm sure of it."

"You… discussed us getting _married_?!" the teen exclaimed, looking between the two men on the other side of the table. "Are you serious?!"

"Well, not right away, of course! Dating, a public engagement, then a luxurious but tasteful wedding, only the crème de la crème invited, of course… you could have sponsorships, though of course not publicly… like 'our mutual friend the designer so-and-so did our suits' and 'our friend so-and-so decorated our apartment'… and journalists would be begging for interviews. Hell, maybe you could adopt a brat in a few years too… from some poor country, somewhere."

Robin felt absolutely nauseous, but only Slade seemed to notice. The blonde just kept going.

"I'm thinking part of our companies could merge when you marry, the tech-side for example, we're struggling in the competition, so it would be a good solution. Besides, it would be good for developing things for our… hobbies." He said the last part with a furtive glance at Slade. "But those things we can speak of privately later."

_Smooth…_ Robin thought dryly to himself. _Not suspicious at all…_

Robin was about to tear the man a new one, but he suddenly hesitated and glanced over at Slade, looking, or rather begging, for permission. The man smirked and gave him a small nod.

The teen took a deep breath.

"Not that I don't appreciate having my whole life planned out in detail like that in order to make more money," he drawled. "But I have to refuse."

"Why? It's not like you can't fuck around if you're a bit careful… I mean no one expects gay guys to be faithful anyway… you can even openly say you have an open relationship. You got nothing to lose, here kid, and a lot to win."

The 'kid' was now gaping, not quite believing his own ears.

"You're not dating anyone, are you?" Oliver pressed on.

"Maybe Luthor," Roy cut in with a smirk.

"Nah, he's not a shirt lifter as far as I know…" the older archer said.

Robin's jaw dropped a little bit more.

"Okay, I think that wraps up dinner. We have an early morning tomorrow," Slade said, standing up. "I suggest you drop the concept of this… union, it's not appreciated on either a personal or business level."

"Wait, are you two fucking then?" Roy accused.

"I don't have to be fucking anyone to not be wanting to marry you!" Robin snorted. "Seriously, Roy? I thought we were friends?"

"Yeah? And wouldn't it be great to live together and just go at it like bunnies sometimes?" the redhead shrugged. "Besides, if it's good for business then that's just a perk. And you like business, so you can just take care of it, right?"

"Aaaahhh…" Robin finally understood the main reason behind the other teen's willingness. "Grow the fuck up and do some actual work for once, Harper," he growled. "Alfred will show you out. I'm done with both of you for the day." He stalked out of the room, ignoring the exclamations behind him. He heard Slade following close behind.

The teen stomped upstairs and the man didn't stop him. Robin entered his room, leaving the door open behind him as he knew Slade would insist on following, which the man did.

The teen sank down on his bed and put his head in his hands, shaking it.

"I can't believe it… I really can't…"

"I suspected it, although not quite a marriage proposal. He probably added that because he thought you'd like the idea of matrimony."

"While suggesting we'd screw around?!"

"He's a… complicated man," Slade said dryly.

Robin burst out in a joyless laugh. "No, quite the opposite; he's single minded... This is just great. You fuck me as some sort of reimbursement on my part and for a power kick and Oliver wants Roy to fuck me because it would be good for business, and Roy wants to fuck me because he wants me to do his damn HOMEWORK. I feel so damn appreciated right now."

Slade chuckled a bit. "Sorry about the lack of romance, Robin," he added teasingly. "I'll make sure to buy you some flowers at some point."

"Or… you know… not fuck me?" the teen muttered.

"You ask the impossible of me."

"Hardly fair, is it?" the teen snorted.

"No, it makes me feel inadequate," the man drawled, making the teen burst out laughing for a moment.

Robin shook his head. He knew his life would get complicated when Bruce had died, but he had never imagined it would be complicated in_ this_ way.

There was a knock on the door and once the teen called out for the person to enter, Alfred came in. The teen noticed that the butler gave Slade an almost suspicious look, but the mercenary was standing at a respectable distance and was, maybe more importantly, fully dressed, so the situation looked as 'innocent' as it possibly could with Slade in the room.

"Forgive me, Master Richard, I just wanted to inform you that the gentlemen have left. I made sure they were picked up by a driver. I also wanted to ask if you are all right?"

"Thank you, Al. Yeah, I guess. A bit upset. You don't think I should marry him, do you?"

"Heaven's sake, no!" the old man said, almost looking appalled. "I'd rather see you on the arm of Lex Luthor than that… that… brat!"

Robin chuckled, but then gave the man a jokingly stern look. "Now, don't go promise me away to the super villain, Alfred! I will be quite upset if I get home from work one day and there's an engagement party for me. You don't get any ideas either!" he added to Slade, just in case.

"Me?" the man smirked innocently. "I'd never."

"If I may be serious once more," the old man cut in. "I've received a letter from my nephew regarding the position. He seems delighted and will fly here in two weeks for an interview and, if accepted, a short stay where he can be introduced to the work so you both can make a decision."

"Oh… yeah, great, I had… I had almost forgotten about all that…" Robin stammered.

"Would it suit you? I can ask him to postpone his visit, but he might have to accept another position if-"

"No, no, of course he should come here, and we're paying for everything, obviously," Robin said, after a glance at Slade for approval. "But… I haven't even asked anything about him… how old is he? Oh dear, what is his _name_?"

"His name is Albert," the old man said, puffing his chest up a little. "Albert Pennyworth. Partly named after me, I might add. He turns 26 this year I believe, but is a very mature man despite his youth."

"Your praise is enough for me, but of course there has to be some sort of… chemistry, I guess…" Robin said, feeling a bit lost facing a decision like this. "And maybe… we shouldn't tell him about the 'basement' quite yet? If you don't mind?"

"Of course not. Not that I don't trust the young man, because I do, but we need to make sure he takes to the job first," Alfred nodded.

Robin looked over at Slade, subconsciously seeking his approval, and the mercenary nodded, looking pleased with the arrangements.

"Then that's decided," Robin said. "I'd like to ask for an early night now," he said, turned to Slade. "I'd like to call the Titans. I kinda need to talk to my friends about all this."

"Very well. I'll wake you in time for the gym tomorrow morning," Slade told him. "I'll retire as well, then. Goodnight," he said to both of them, and left.

"Goodnight Master Richard, I hope this circus won't worry you too much."

"I hope so too…" Robin sighed. "Night, Al."

Robin did call his friends and had a long talk with them, discussing Speedy's behavior. Beast Boy told them that he had heard from Aqualad that the archer could get a bit handsy and needed a very firm 'no' to stop, especially at parties, which Robin translated to 'especially when drunk'.

"I think he needs some help," Robin said. "But I'm just too close to it, too angry at him and Oliver right now. Could you maybe talk to the rest of the JL? Ask them for some advice? Superman or Wonder Woman, perhaps? They bring enough respect for him to listen… I'm afraid Oliver's lifestyle is rubbing off on him in a way he can't handle."

"We shall speak to them," Starfire promised. "He surely needs the guidance."

"Thank you. And thank you for letting me rant. I really needed that. Now… what's going on in Jump?"

The call continued for another half hour and, once it was over, Robin felt much better. He had only spoken about Speedy, not Lex and definitely not Slade, but it was still like a weight had been lifted. He showered and went to bed, reading a bit in the book Lex had given to him as he did. He half expected Slade to show up or call him into his room but the man didn't. Suddenly Robin got the idea of messaging Lex about what had happened. Turning to the man would probably increase his trust in him, the innocent-boy-needing-help-act. It was now almost eleven in the evening, though, so the teen only sent a short message:

'You were right about Harper.'

Ten second later his phone rang.

"What did the boy do?" Lex asked, and Robin could pour his heart out again, more viciously this time.

"Can you believe it?!" he ended up asking.

"Actually, yes," the man chuckled a little. "But they are going about it very clumsily."

"Please don't call them and give them advice after this?" Robin groaned, making the man chuckle again. It was a soft sound, Robin rather liked it. He imagined it wasn't a sound just anyone had heard.

"I'd rather advice you," the businessman claimed.

"Then please do? I practically threw them out… should I… apologize?" He didn't have to pretend that the words left a foul taste in his mouth.

"No. I'd actually tell you to do nothing, not for a few days. See if they come to you."

"And if not? I mean… screw the friendship, it feels like that ship has sailed, but businesswise?"

"If you should happen to do business, I'm sure Mr. Queen will handle it as an adult. Just make sure to meet him during the day with no alcohol involved… And be very firm with him. I can't tell you how many times I've had to tell him to sit down and shut up in a meeting. Not literally using those words, of course," the man confessed.

Robin chuckled, sensing that Lex had actually gotten very personal and honest with him here.

"You've done a lot of business together then?"

"Not a lot, but we had a bit of a steel and oil crises a few years ago. We both needed it and we both needed to profit from it."

"Ah," Robin said, deciding not to dig deeper for now. "I read the article, by the way, very interesting!"

They kept talking until Robin glanced at his alarm clock. "Holy- It's past midnight, I really need to go, or I will fall asleep during work tomorrow."

"Wouldn't want your coworkers to joke about introducing nap time, would we?" the man drawled.

"I already have Wilson the security blanket," Robin snorted. "And sometimes the office is a sand box… I should just give out juice boxes at meetings and call it a day."

The man chuckled again. "We can start a new business protocol," he said. "But you are right, sleep is important."

"Yeah…" Robin suddenly remembered what Slade had proposed and threw out a line. "Are you busy on Thursday? If not, maybe I could show you around town after work?"

"Well, doesn't that sound lovely?" the man purred. "I think I'm free, or can reschedule, I'll send you a message to confirm tomorrow, shall I?"

"Please do, I'm looking forwards to it," Robin said, letting eagerness seep into his voice.

"As do I."

They ended the call and Robin fell asleep feeling strangely nervous.

* * *

The next morning, he was already awake and half-dressed when Slade came into the room.

"Awww, missed my chance, didn't I?" the mercenary smirked. "Gym, ten minutes," he then added and just left again.

Robin muttered to himself. He had woken up on his own, feeling rested. It was six in the morning and he was ready to go.

He told Slade about the plans with Luthor as they worked out and then, during breakfast, asked both him and Alfred about places to take the man. As it would only be an after-work outing there wasn't time for a full tour and they all agreed that tourist traps wouldn't impress him. Actually, nothing would, as Slade claimed, but there should at least be an effort. They, mostly Alfred and Robin, decided on a place and a restaurant and the butler said he would book a table as soon as they opened and get back to the teen.

At around nine in the morning Robin had had confirmations from both Lex and Alfred about the next day. There was a lot of work to be done but the teen also had a new focus; the back up plan. The way out. Whatever it would be, if anything. As he had decided before there was one person that could help him. He wouldn't even consider going to Oliver, especially not after last time, but he didn't want the JL involved either. There was no way they could do anything to stop Slade from spilling the beans if the man so chose, and the mercenary wasn't even intimidated by Superman. No, confronting him would most likely not work out. Just before a meeting with some of the board members Robin got his chance as Slade was called over by one of them to look at some numbers. The teen immediately homed in on his target.

"Lucius, no questions asked, but after the meeting, invite me for coffee or something. Only me. Ok?"

The older man looked a bit taken aback but nodded.

The meeting dragged out and once they were done, Lucius approached him.

"Richard, how about some lunch?" he asked loud enough for the room to hear.

"That would be lovely," Robin smiled but then looked over at Slade. "Mr. Wilson, we don't have anything planned for lunch, do we?"

"No, I don't mind eating outside the office," Slade countered.

"Oh, this is awkward," Lucius cut in, "But I wanted to take Richard here out as a friend of the family… talk about old times. I hope you understand?"

"Of course, I'll see you after lunch then," Slade nodded.

Robin could see that the man's jaw was clenched a little bit, and the man gave him a look that told him that he wasn't happy. Not unhappy enough to stop him, but anything that got in the way of the man's plans clearly annoyed him. Robin gave him a small, helpless shrug like he wanted to apologize but also was unable to stop it. Slade gave a stiff nod in return, showing he wasn't in more trouble than usual.

Robin felt very nervous as they left. He was almost panicking about what he was about to do, but it was his only chance.

"Should we go to my office?" Lucius asked.

"Yes… yes, that might be the best place."

"I'll ask my assistant to bring us some sandwiches from the cafeteria," the man told him. "I have a feeling this might take a while."

Robin only nodded and ten minutes later the were sitting, facing each other across the man's desk.

"I… ok... this will be… This might be a bit overwhelming," Robin said, trying to find the words.

"Alright…?" the older man urged him on kindly.

"Well… the first thing you need to know is… Bruce was Batman."

"Excuse me?"

"Bruce Wayne was Batman. I was Robin." The teen studied the aging man worriedly, afraid that he'd think he was mad. Lucius sat quietly for a while; his hands clasped together on the desk.

"I see. It makes a lot of sense," he eventually said. "But Batman has been spotted since the accident, hasn't he?"

"Yes. I had to make sure… I'll explain how later, but the key is; I had to make sure no one figured it out to protect myself, Alfred and the company. The house too. The Batcave."

"Alright… and have you run into problems…?"

"Slade Wilson is a mercenary and assassin who uses the codename Deathstroke. He's been an enemy to my team, the Teen Titans, and half of the Justice League as well, I believe, and he's blackmailing me."

The man was again quiet for a while. "I was wondering why my digging on him didn't go well… I was going to have him investigated, actually," he eventually said. "How can I help? I assume the police or the hero community should be kept out of it?"

"Yes. I have things under control as it is. He is actually helping me too, you see… I was… lost, for a while."

The man shook his head sadly. "If we hadn't been out of the country… I would have been here, Richard. I would have helped you."

"Thank you," the teen said softly. "I know you would. You are the only one I trust in this, the only one I can turn to."

"But… Alfred?"

"Alfred shouldn't be worried about… certain aspects of what is going on."

"Such as…?"

Robin ended up telling the man everything. They paused for a moment when their lunch arrived, but in the end, there were no more secrets. Robin felt strangely… cleansed.

"I need your help with figuring out ways to protect the company, and us, if Batman's identity should be known, or if I have to leave. Slade tells me the result would be catastrophic, but I don't know enough about these things to know.

"I will do everything I can, and then some. If you need to leave, though, you might need new identities… I'm a businessman, I have contacts, but I'm not sure I have the right ones…"

"I do," Robin grinned. "May I borrow your phone?"

"Of course." The man handed his phone over and Robin dialed.

"This is Robin. I'm calling from the number of a trusted friend, Lucius Fox. He was a friend of Bruce's. I need you to help me and Alfred get new identity papers, including passports, top notch work. You can't contact me, however, not in any way, ok? All contact and payment goes through him. Can you help me? Please?" Robin listened for a moment and then smiled. "Thank you, Selina. I owe you, big time." He hung up.

"Selina?" Lucius asked.

"Catwoman. She's going to contact you, that will probably mean she'll just show up, about the papers."

"I'm going to get to meet Catwoman?" the man asked, his eyes glittering a bit.

"Yes, but don't tell your wife," Robin smirked.

"Hell, no," Mr. Fox confirmed with a chuckle.

"Oh, and don't call me or email me anything suspicious," Robin said. "I don't know if he monitors anything like that, but I wouldn't be surprised."

"I'll simply invite you to lunch and such again," the man smiled. He soon turned serious once more, however. "I think running should be a last resort," he said. "I'm going to look up laws to protect your property and consider ways to limit any losses if your secret gets out… I need some time, though… how long do we have?"

Robin shrugged. "As long as I can stomach this, and I'm not as easy to break as Slade seems to think. Weeks or months, probably, maybe longer."

"Good, then we have plenty of time."

"Yes," the teen confirmed.

As it turned out, he was very, very wrong.

_To be Continued…_

A/N: look at that, a bit of a cliffy… As I write this without splitting the story into chapters until afterwards, it's sometimes difficult to find a good place to end, but ta-daa! 😉


	9. Chapter 9: Relinquish Control

A/N: the chapter in which a certain scene appears that I have been picturing for a while… 

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 9: Relinquish Control**

Robin was about to leave when Lucius stopped him.

"Here, take this," he said and handed him a framed photograph he had on his desk. "Pretend I wanted to give you this as a memory and that we've been talking about Bruce the whole time."

Robin looked at the photo and swallowed. It was of him, Bruce and Lucius surrounded by some tech in a lab. He couldn't have been more than nine and was looking over the moon, clutching the radio control to a large toy car.

"I remember this, I still have it!" Robin exclaimed.

"I thought you crashed it the first week," the man chuckled.

"Well… yes, but I still have it," Robin grinned. "I always meant to fix it. I will!"

"Glad to hear it. Now you'd better go, lunch is almost over. And Richard?"

"Yeah?"

"Bruce would have been very proud of you."

Robin was clutching the photo and still blinking away tears when he entered his own office. It turned out to be the perfect cover, because Slade took one look at the photo, one look at Robin's emotional state and apparently decided not to get involved. Instead he had the teen go through a list of areas where they were possibly losing money to figure out what to do about it. He was grateful for the work and dived right in.

Life at the office was still a learning curve, and Robin didn't have much time to think about other things during the rest of the day or the next, apart from that the archers hadn't been in touch in any way. It hurt him a little, but he hoped they were ashamed of themselves. It would be much worse if they were angry, feeling entitled to going through with their plan. Surprisingly enough, Slade hadn't as much as kissed him since Sunday and that put the teen on edge, as he kept asking himself why and waiting for the guy to basically jump out at him at any time. They both had been very busy, though, working late both at the office and at home. At night, however, Robin's dreams were far from dry, and he hadn't had it this bad since he was thirteen or so. He jutted it down to his body having had a taste of something it physically liked and now was trying to get him to do again. Fat chance. Not without Slade making him.

* * *

It was now Thursday and the outing with Luthor was not far away. Robin had used the apartment on the top of the office building to shower and change, and Alfred was going to be their driver for the night. Slade couldn't do it as he was supposed to be a consultant.

"What are you going to do? Netflix?" Robin asked the man and got a light cuff on the head for being, what Slade called, 'cute'.

"I'm taking the suit out for a spin, been a few days," the man said, and Robin nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks. That would actually be great."

"I'm still going to be in the general area if you need me," the man told him. "Use the phone if you have an emergency."

"Of course," the teen confirmed. "Alright, how do I look?" he said, gesturing to his outfit, which was a suit for once as they were heading to a nice restaurant.

"Good enough to eat," the man leered.

"Hey, now! You haven't snacked for days, and now is_ not_ the time, or I'll be late," the hero reminded him.

"Missed being my snack?" The man still leered, looking like he considered letting Luthor wait.

"Immensely," Robin snorted sarcastically. "So, as I'm apparently presentable, I'll go down to the car. It might get late. Please don't wait up."

* * *

"Well, this was a surprise…" the businessman slash super villain said, looking around with an amused expression on his face.

"Well, I just thought about taking you away from the stress and bustle of the city, somewhere to relax," the teen grinned. They had just entered Giordano Botanical Gardens in the Burnley District at the center of Gotham. The place truly was an oasis, when it was not claimed by Poison Ivy, that was. At the moment, as she was in prison and the city had decided to put some money into beautification, it was in pristine order, however, complete with a huge greenhouse for tropical plants and butterflies. Robin had read up on it some, to be better prepared, but found the reality much more stimulating. Many of the plants were in bloom and in some areas the scent was almost intoxicating.

They walked slowly through the gardens, pointing out things they found interesting but in between discussing different business topics, starting with the book and the article Robin had gotten from Luthor.

"Do you deal much with personnel matters at all?" the teen asked. "I mean, lower level? I barely know what everyone does, much less if they actually do their job or are happy…"

"Very, very little. I have a competent HR-department that sometimes bring things to my attention. I recommend trying to learn names and job titles, though. It impresses."

"Yeah, but takes time," the teen sighed.

"Your HR department should have photos of the staff for their staff ID's, ask for a list sorted by department. I'm just talking about your main building, of course, not the branches, that would be a bit… overwhelming."

Robin laughed. "Holy shit, yeah," he snickered. That would mean thousands of people, after all. "Oops, sorry for the language."

The man just chuckled in reply.

After the garden they walked to a nearby restaurant which was small but exclusive. You didn't get to choose what to eat here, and the reservations were for only twelve people at a time. He tried not to feel bad about the fact that Alfred calling this place must have bumped someone off the list for tonight. Still, it was on the restaurant to do so, and they had clearly decided that it was good for business to offer the young business magnate a table.

They commented on how noisy it was outside the gardens, the walls and trees surrounding it had really managed to keep it quiet. Robin had already decided to go back there sometimes.

The menu was quirky; he had never expected the combination of fish and lamb to work, but it was good overall. The teen insisted on paying for them both as Luthor was a 'guest in the city'. Afterwards he was about to call Alfred around when the man suggested that they should walk back to his hotel instead. It wasn't terribly late or far, and they would stay in the main streets, so the teen agreed.

Suddenly, as they walked, there was a shadow above them, seemingly flying over the building.

Robin grabbed Luthor's arm and pointed.

"Look!" he said. They saw the shadow for a few more seconds and then it was gone.

"Was that Batman?" the businessman asked.

"Yeah!" the teen said, pretending to be really excited. "Wow! I mean, he's the protector of the city, but it's not often you actually get to see him."

"Love to say the same about ours," the man drawled.

"Oh, yeah, you have Superman! That must be awesome!" the teen exclaimed, inwardly grinning.

"Very," the man claimed dryly.

"Heroes are really cool… I wish I could meet them. I know Bruce and Batman met once or twice…" the teen sighed longingly, loving to tease the villain. "Maybe I should try to contact him? Wouldn't it be amazing with a partnership? I mean, I could maybe sponsor him?"

"Heroes are usually quite sensitive about being tied down like that. What if you go off the deep end and decide to take over the U.S?" the man teased him.

"The U.S? Robin snorted. "You underestimate me! It would be at _least_ the world."

"Get in touch, we'll do it together," the other man smirked down on him.

"Great, two is better than one," the hero snickered. "But honestly…. I don't get people like that… what do they do it for… power? Money? What is that worth when the whole world hates you and you can't go anywhere without fearing for your life? Sounds like a shitty position. I don't like getting recognized as much as I do," the teen muttered, referring to a few turned heads and whispered conversations that they had noticed earlier in the evening.

"Maybe it's just the challenge… the idea that it could be done?" Luthor suggested.

"They should just run a marathon or climb a mountain then," Robin snorted. Luthor made a noncommittal but amused sound in reply.

They turned the corner and there, across from a small plaza, was the man's hotel. Robin slowed down a little.

"I had a really good time tonight, Lex. Thank you."

"I should be the one to thank you," Luthor replied. "You surprised me."

Robin gave him a genuine smile. "Really? I'm so glad, I was worried you'd find it… stupid."

"Not at all. Very relaxing. How about a nightcap in my room before you call your driver?"

The teen hesitated but then decided to go for it. He still didn't know what kind of game Luthor was playing, he just knew that the man _was_. There was no way that he would be this nice and approachable in private, the man _wanted_ something. But what? He decided to take the plunge and smiled.

"Love to."

The man smiled back, his green eyes glittering. "You won't regret it."

"Here you go. A personal favorite of mine," Luthor said and handed him a tumbler before filling one for himself.

Robin looked down at the amber liquid on the bottom of the glass, with the ice swimming around in it. He wasn't fond of hard liquor, but there wasn't a lot of it so he wouldn't get drunk. He had been careful with the wine at dinner, something Lex had of course teased him slightly about, saying that 'it was for the best'.

"Thank you," he said and took a small sip, trying not to make a face.

"Might be an acquired taste," the man smiled at him and gestured to a sofa. "Please, have a seat."

Robin sat and, a moment later, the man sat down next to him. Quite close. The teen's heart sped up a little and he took another sip of the whiskey. "It's not too bad," he half lied.

"It's older than you are," the man smiled, turning towards him and then looked down at his own glass, swirling it. "It has always impressed me. Making a product that then won't be sold or consumed for at least five to twenty years, longer in more exclusive cases. How does it feel to work with something like that?"

"You're more on a 'instant result' kind of guy?" Robin joked.

"Well, yes. Instant gratification is more my sort of game… you?" the man smiled at him now and the teen's breath caught in his throat. He was pretty sure Luthor was coming on to him… or was he just teasing? Maybe Slade, who's approach was more a throw-him-down-on-the-bed type of deal was preferable… at least it was clear!

"I'm… kinda the same," Robin mumbled.

"I had a very nice night… not sure I want it to stop…" The man moved a bit closer still and put his hand on the teen's arm, slowly sliding it upwards.

It happened very slowly and instantly at the same time, the hand came to rest at the back of his neck and then, gently, Robin was pulled into a kiss. He could have broken away very easily, he was given all the time in the world, but he was… curious.

"Lex…" he gasped as the kiss ended. It had been soft, searching, careful. "More…?" Robin begged quietly. He was immediately kissed again, a little more intensely this time.

The kisses were so different from Slade's. Lex seemed to ask consent for each touch, going just slow enough to be nonthreatening but still making Robin's temperature rise. The teen felt his suit jacket being pushed off his shoulders and, then and there, decided that he'd follow the man along for as far as Lex wanted to take this. If the man's master plan was to fuck the new rich boy into submission and try to control him emotionally, then let him try, Robin decided. Besides, here he decided things for himself, and Slade could fuck off. The man had even said that he didn't mind sharing, so screw him. The mercenary might have introduced him, unwillingly, to things like these, but the teen was now curious how it would be with someone else. How it would be if he _chose_ it.

He reached for the man's tie and undid it, sliding it off, and the favor was returned. The young man shivered from the feeling, a small spike of pleasure, and he smiled shyly up at the man, whose return smile showed a lot more confidence.

Next thing off was his shirt and he slowly began unbutton the man's shirt too. Lex had a very nice body, although nowhere as muscular as Slade's. His shoulders might almost be as wide, but the rest of him was leaner. Lex was completely human, just like Robin, however, and the teen knew it took a lot of work to keep a body in this kind of shape at his age. How old the man was, the teen didn't know. Around Bruce's age, maybe a few years older, he guessed. The bald head made the man strangely ageless and there were no real wrinkles to tell any tales.

They kissed again as their shirts came off completely. Robin realized that his shoes were on and toed those off. After kissing and caressing some more, the businessman's hands moved to the young man's dress pants. Their eyes met.

"You sure?" Lex asked.

"Y-yeah," Robin said, the stutter faked. He was considering what Richard would do. Richard might be a young man trying to be an adult, but he was also raised by a play boy. It wasn't likely he'd have the brains or the strength to hold back. He decided to act a little bit innocent, though. "You'll… be gentle? It's… been a while…"

"Of course," the man promised almost fondly and soon he was kissing his way down Robin's stomach.

A minute or so later the teen gratefully discovered that Lex was a generous lover who didn't mind pleasuring him with his mouth as he prepared him, but after a while even the businessman reached his limit. They did it there, on the couch in the middle of the room and Robin thought it was amazing. Lex wasn't as big as Slade, but he had close to the same girth and it was more than enough to get the job done without hurting. The teen couldn't hold back for long and came first, moaning and gasping, his fingers digging into the other man's arms, which he was grasping. Lex soon joined him. The teen expected it to be over, but the man soon started kissing him again and then stood up, reaching out for him.

"Come. Let's continue this in the bedroom," he said.

Robin just smiled dazedly. He was drunk on pleasure and wouldn't have reacted if Slade himself had crashed through the window. He let himself be guided into the bedroom and gently lowered onto the bed, where the villain proved that he had another round in him. It took longer this time, but that meant double the pleasure and once it was over, the whole teen had turned to so much mush.

Having sex with Lex Luthor was definitely closer to making love than with Slade. With Slade it had been fucking, plain and simple. And even though the teen wasn't in love, and knew for sure that Lex was only doing this for his own agenda, it was very easy to pretend that there were feelings involved, especially now as the man continued to touch him, and place little kisses here and there, where he could easily reach, as they rested against each other.

"That… was fantastic…" Robin panted.

"Agreed. But how can it be anything else? You're the Boy Wonder after all."

It took a second. Then the smile that was Robin's answer froze.

"W-what?" he asked.

"Don't bother, Robin. I know who Bruce were, so, by default, I know who you are."

"What… what do you want?" the teen asked, still too stunned to really take it in.

"We'll get to that… just know, that if you try to refuse me, the whole world will soon know about Bat- why are you laughing?!"

It had started as a dry chuckle, deep down, but now it exploded out of him. Robin laughed until he practically cried, trying to convey to the very confused super villain why he reacted like this.

"You… you need to… you need to get in line!" The teen managed to gasp through the fits of laughter. "Holy shit, you need to call Slade and sort this out… maybe you can tell half the secret each or something…" Robin gasped and then started laughing again.

"So… you know who Deathstroke is?"

"Y-yes, he-he… sorry… sorry… I'll... I'll try to take this seriously…" Robin said, struggling.

"I'd appreciate that." Luthor sounded rather affronted, which pushed the teen into another laughing fit.

"Sorry… sorry… Yes… yes, I know who Slade is."

"And… he's blackmailing you?"

"Yup." Robin was almost himself again, only grinning like an idiot up at the man. They were still in bed, Robin on his back, Luthor on his side, basically towering above him. The teen was completely relaxed, though. The thought that the businessman would hurt him in any way had immediately been dismissed. If anything, Lex would take a bullet for him at this point; the man clearly needed him alive. He was curious, though. "What did you think Slade was doing here?" he asked.

"When I first saw him, I assumed he had infiltrated the company, possibly to assassinate you, but I couldn't find any gossip that confirmed that. After that, I assumed you might have hired him as a bodyguard, without knowing who he really was. The business cover was confusing, though."

"Basically, he needed a job so he wouldn't end up in jail, so he decided to take over and teach me the about the business world in the meantime."

"And fuck you as compensation?"

"Pretty much his exact words, yes… although that came a little later."

"I don't buy the jail-reason… Deathstroke don't make deals like that," Lex told him.

"Oh… well… He's always been a bit… _focused _on me, I guess it could have just been that…? He heard Bruce died and decided to swoop in?"

"So he showed up immediately after?" Luthor asked.

"No… no, it was actually more like a month…" Robin admitted, frowning a little as he was thinking things over.

"Probably some other reason, then…" Lex mused. "No matter. We still have a problem."

"I see it more like_ you_ have a problem," Robin smirked. "If you want to take over part, or all, of Wayne Enterprises, you will have to deal with Slade. Good luck."

"He's your problem too… the enemy of my enemy…"

"What are you suggesting?" Robin asked curiously.

"He's not the only assassin available on the market."

The teen shook his head.

"I don't want him dead."

"Maybe I do."

"Well, maybe you do, but he won't end up dead... He'll only end up pissed," the teen shrugged. "And then you'll be wearing your own dick as a nose piercing… And," he added, leering, running his hand down the man's stomach, "that would be a pity…"

Luthor calmly stopped his hand before it reached anything interesting and the teen snickered. He guessed he should be angry, afraid even, but this was too bizarre for him to properly process. The villain seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"You're not really acting the way I imagined. I thought you'd be begging by now, trying to barter with me."

"Well, I have Slade for that. Besides, he's put me through some shit the last two weeks, I somehow imagine you to be more of a gentleman."

The man chuckled at that and Robin smiled back. Then he let his smile grow wistful.

"I liked Lex…" he sighed. "Lex and Richard… I thought we had a pretty good thing going…"

"I was surprised you would even give me the time of day, considering you knowing who I was."

Robin gave a short laugh. "Yeah, me too… but you know what? It was easy to forget… Like I said, I liked Lex. He was funny and brilliant and mature and… well. He was someone I could have-" Robin cut himself off.

"You could have – what?" the man asked.

"I… could have fallen in love with…" the teen mumbled, looking away. He was only half playing the man. If it hadn't been true, he wouldn't have been able to fool anyone… the 'playing' part lay in telling the man at all. Robin didn't know if he'd win anything by doing it, but he hoped he would.

"Is that so?" the man sounded a bit teasing.

"So what? It doesn't matter. You're you and I'm me. I knew it wasn't real… But with everything else, it was nice to imagine a foreign prince sweeping in to heroically save me from my perverted king," Robin claimed and then snickered both at his own mind and Lex's expression.

"You have a strange ideal for heroes."

"Well, Superman could have done it, but he wouldn't fuck me," the teen pouted jokingly. "But tell me the truth… how did you find Richard? How bored were you?"

"None at all. You surprised me. I thought you'd act like a complete airhead, and be very awkward in finer society. I was wrong. Bruce taught you well."

"Thank you," Robin smiled a little. "I miss him. That breakdown, by the way… it wasn't faked. I didn't fake anything with you. I… just wanted to tell you… I … I don't know why." His voice sounded quite small. "What… what is going to happen now, Lex?" he asked, using his big blue eyes to look up at the man, seemingly helpless. It was funny, because he wasn't. He would most likely be able to take the man in a fight unless Lex had a gun or some other tech. Slade would absolutely sweep the floor with him too. So if he wanted to, Robin could attack, knock the man out and make the call to Slade, but he wanted to play both sides, for just a little longer.

"I want the Daily Planet, for starters. Apart from that I want the oil and electricity market as well as technological software and hardware design, especially in the IoT-section."

"Ah, interesting, you believe in that too? I'm still trying to convince Alfred that a fridge can tell him if we're out of milk," Robin grinned.

"You're not taking this seriously at all, are you? Are you so sure Deathstroke will protect you?"

"No, he might hand all of the business over to you for free, actually, I have no idea…" Robin shrugged. "What I _do_ know, though, is that you have to talk to him about it."

"And if it was up to you?"

"I'd fight you all the way, of course," the teen shrugged. "Still might. The only reason my heel hasn't broken your nose yet is that I'm curious about what Slade will do. I have him on speed dial, if…?"

"He_ is_ a businessman, even though it's a one-man firm," Luthor said, like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. "I didn't intend to barter, but I see that I have to be adaptable here. For now."

"Great. Should we get dressed and go home, or do you want him to come here?" the teen asked.

"Not so fast. I want to think about this-"

"Let me stop you right there," Robin said, raising a hand. "It's not that I_ want_ to tell him, I can even promise not to, but he'll figure it out. He has a scary way of reading people. He'll know you've fucked me from just looking at me, and he'll guess the rest."

"Ah."

"Yeah, so unless you plan to hide me away, which probably won't work, Slade will be knocking on your door and not-so-politely asking questions soon enough." To the teen's amusement the businessman actually looked a bit beaten before frowning and clenching his jaw.

"Then make the call," he snorted. "But let's get dressed first."

"Aw… no seconds?" Robin smirked.

"Raincheck," the man smirked back, and the young man felt his cheeks heat up a little bit. Luthor noticed and his smirk widened. "You wouldn't mind, would you?" he purred and was suddenly very much on top of the teen again.

"I… apparently… have a thing for… dominant older men," the hero admitted.

"Quite a drawback for a young hero," Luthor mused as his hands slowly explored the teen's body.

"Yeah, but… pleasurable?" Robin suggested and couldn't help but respond to the man's very presence. "Can… can the call wait a little?"

It turned out it could.

* * *

"I can't believe myself," the young man gasped twenty minutes later.

"I can't believe you either, but I have to say I'm grateful. I might let you keep some oil."

"What do I have to do to keep the Daily Planet?" Robin asked cheekily.

Luthor told him, in detail, and the teen's eyes grew very big.

"I… I think I'll give you a discount on it instead," he said. "A big one if you don't tell Slade any of that!"

"I am rather sure he knows about those things," Lex smirked.

"Damn," Robin said and then slowly got out of bed, his legs trembling slightly. He noticed that Lex was smugly watching him from the bed, but he let the man enjoy the view as he dressed, and then he held up his phone. "Shall we?"

When the man nodded Robin called up Slade, who answered on the first ring.

"You're late. Where are you?"

"I didn't know I had a curfew," Robin chuckled. I'm at Lex's hotel, he wants to speak with you. I'll put you on speaker."

He could see that Lex didn't like that, but the man was buck naked in bed and, as Robin had hoped, didn't want to lose face by refusing.

"Deathstroke," he said, instead, in his most intimidating way.

"Luthor." Slade's voice held a question in it and it was cautious.

"Let's cut straight to the chase. I know Richard is Robin. I came here hoping to… bargain with him, but it seems I have to do that with you instead."

"Interesting. I had no intel even suggesting you knew Batman's identity."

Robin tried to hold back a snicker, because Slade was pissed at himself. Very much so. He just hoped it wouldn't spill over on himself.

"I've known for years. Kept it very close to my chest, though. I didn't want to use it against Bruce because even if he would give in, it would look strange from the outside if Wayne industries suddenly started making poor decisions. Now, on the other hand, with the company weakened and with a child at the helm…"

"If you consider me a child," Robin cut in, "I have to say, considering what we have been-"

"Quiet, Robin," Slade told him, and the teen closed his mouth, not liking the self-satisfied look he got from Lex, but at the same time he realized that he had been about to reveal what they had been doing, and, he figured, maybe he could keep that under wraps as Slade was distracted by this deal. The mercenary continued; "I see your plan, Luthor, very good. Pity I ruined it."

"Which is what I'd like to discuss. Perhaps a meeting later in the week-"

"When you have had time to rethink what you want from this? I think not. I'll send Alfred around with the car, we're sorting this out tonight."

"It's all the same to me," Luthor pretended. "I just need to get dressed," he added, glancing over at Robin and smirked. The teen groaned quietly and flipped him off.

"I see." Slade's voice was calm and emotionless. That was not good, the teen figured, but there was nothing to be done about it now. "I expect you in half an hour." The line went dead, and Robin glared at the businessman.

"You didn't have to say that," Robin growled.

"I'd figured that if I'm getting screwed, so should you," the bald man declared.

"I'm screwed either way. By both of you. At once."

"That's something we can discuss," Luthor shrugged and got out of bed himself and disappeared into the bathroom.

The car ride was quiet and Robin was almost crawling out of his skin from nerves. Slade met them in the hallway and showed them into the sitting room.

"Any refreshments, gentlemen?" Alfred asked.

"No, you are excused for the night," Slade told him.

Alfred gave Robin a searching look as if to ask if everything was ok, but all the teen could do was shrug and grin a little, hoping to put his worries at rest. He would have loved the old man's backup, but considering what might be said in that room… no.

Once the door was closed Robin chuckled a bit uncertainly. He was standing between the men and it might not be the safest place to be, all things considered.

"Ah, yeah… so this in awkward…" he said.

"Whores keep their mouth shut until spoken to," Slade snapped.

Robin's jaw dropped. "The fuck?!" he said, "I'm not-"

The strike sent him to the floor and he almost blacked out. Crawling backwards, away from Slade, he bumped into Lex's legs. Cradling his face, he looked up at the other man, who frowned down at him, but looking more thoughtful than anything.

"I guess Slade might not have ordered you to seduce me after all," he said and, very surprisingly, helped Robin up. The man even cupped his face carefully, looking for any visible damage.

"Don't touch him," Slade growled.

"Are you hurt?" Lex asked Robin, ignoring the mercenary.

The hero carefully shook his head, but then his eyes hardened. "Don't act nice, Luthor, it doesn't become you," he hissed, pulled away glaring at both men, and went to sit down in the sofa.

"Just trying to be the only adult in the room," the billionaire snorted. "Deathstroke, I didn't know the kid was your property. Not that I think he agrees. It's also clear to me that I won't be getting what I came for, but, unless you plan to kill me here and now and is absolutely sure I don't have any of my information tucked away somewhere to be found after my death… I think we have some business to discuss."

"Killing you is always an option," Slade growled.

Luthor looked over at Robin. "As a hero, would you allow that?"

"No, but apparently I am a whore and has no say," the teen snorted.

"See? He learns," Slade smirked coldly. "But very well." The man gestured to the two armchairs facing each other on each end of the sofa. "We'll… talk."

The tension in the room went down several degrees as the men sat down. Robin, on the sofa, had ended up pretty much in the middle, although slightly on the side lines. His fingers were sliding over his phone in his pocket. Not that calling anyone right now would really help. He looked from one to the other, but as no one spoke for several seconds he had had enough.

"So… how are you two going to decide how to destroy my life, then…? Lex gets my company and Slade my body? Are you going to share Alfred?"

"Alfred?" Luthor said.

"He makes really good cookies," Robin explained sarcastically.

"You may keep him," Lex smirked at him. "And I was never after the whole of Wayne Enterprises. I need you, and other big corporations, for balance. States tends to reacts badly when private interests try to achieve monopoly in a field. I wanted to take you down a peg or two, though. Establish dominance."

"Great, something you and Slade have in common."

"Who says it wouldn't be in your favor to run a smaller, more focused concern?" Luthor tried.

"Aaaw, so you're just doing this to be nice to me? You're so sweeeeeeet!" Robin taunted him. "So, Slade… how much are you going to give him?"

"Well, you've already secured Alfred's cookies," the man deadpanned.

"They are that good? I might want to renegotiate," Luthor hurriedly spoke up.

Robin sighed. "Can we please not make jokes about my life here?"

"Very well. Luthor, I'm not that inclined to let you have anything, but I can offer you a five percent partnership in-"

The billionaire raised his hand. "Let me stop you right there. I won't even consider crumbs. I can hurt this organization. Badly."

"I can decorate the wall behind you in your grey matter,"

"Again, I could hurt it from behind the grave," Luthor repeated. "What I want is-"

Robin knew he should be on top of this conversation, but he also knew he had no say in what was going on whatsoever. It had been a long day. A lot had happened. Lots of stress and also some _very_ relaxing moments. He pulled his feet up on the sofa, and as the discussion went on and on and on, he leaned back against a corner and before he knew it, he was asleep.

He was violently awakened by being pulled up by the arm.

"There is no need to hurt the boy," Luthor's voice said, "Any deal we make might be for naught if you do."

"I intend to treat him as I please, but I'm not an idiot," Slade, who was holding his arm, growled. "You know where the door is."

The teen had found his feet by now, and silently allowed himself to be dragged upstairs and to his bedroom. Slade literally tore his clothes off, having them rip at the seams like paper, and pulled him into the shower. The mercenary proceeded to scrub him down harshly, the water scalding hot. The only time Robin yelped and tried to get away was when the man pushed the shower handle between his cheeks and turned the blast on full, one concentrated flow of water, that went straight up the teen's rectum.

"Slade, Urgh! No! You're… My stomach!" the teen gasped in panic, feeling the water push inside, a familiar pressure building. "I… the toilet!"

The man held him a bit longer and then pushed him towards the toilet, where the teen barely had time to sit down. His face was red from embarrassment, The sound, the smell… The only comment the man made wasn't about any of those things, however.

"I can't allow you to walk around filled with his cum. Clean up, rinse off, go to bed. I'll wake you in a few hours."

The man left. Fifteen minutes later the teen was in bed. Numb and tired. He had no idea what the morning would bring.

_To be Continued…_

A/N: I just found the "get in line" situation extremely funny, I don't know if anyone else did… 😉


	10. Chapter 10: Double Control

A/N: someone commented that they are having really big problems with the name Lucius (Fox) because they are picturing Malfoy, and OH MY GOD ALL THE YES! I have to CONSTANTLY remind myself that I'm NOT writing a blond, smirking, smug, delicious bastard as soon as Mr. Fox is mentioned. I really wish he had a different first name, it's messing with my fandom-brain… 😉

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 10: Double Control**

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Slade asked him. When the man had woken him up, he had informed Robin that they would have a 'talk' instead of working out. This was the first thing he said to him.

"About having sex with Lex?" Robin asked, gingerly touching the side of his face where a reddish bruise had formed. Slade had hit him more or less on the side of his head, so not a lot was showing, but it still hurt.

"Obviously."

"Well, you told me that you thought I was stupid for not having sex with Roy and you said you wouldn't mind 'lending me out' or whatever," the teen explained, surprisingly calmly. "It rather gave me the impression that you didn't care if I had sex with him or not. Quite the opposite. If I had declined you might have told me that I shouldn't have, that I should have taken the opportunity to get closer to him. That… and I was rather horny. But if I had gotten the impression that you didn't want me to do this, I would never have done it. Instructions unclear." Robin's voice was still calm. He knew Lucius and Selena needed more time, and he had decided to give them that by trying to stay composed and docile as much as he could. Show some serious belly to Slade and hopefully soothe some of the rage. It helped that he was so tired of it all that he barely cared anymore.

"Then let me give you some instructions," the man growled. "You're mine. Only mine. You're going to put some effort into pleasing me from now on, in private only of course. Do you understand?"

Robin nodded.

"Then show me."

Robin was on his knees in front of the man in a flash, and really did his absolute best.

"I… I never did this for him," he said, as he was working on the man. He hoped to score some kind of points, and Slade looked pleased enough to hear it.

"Good. You'll never do it for anyone else either, unless I specifically order you to."

Robin did not like the word 'never', but made a noise of agreement as he managed to somewhat deepthroat the man.

It was over reasonably quickly.

Robin was carefully polite during breakfast but also subdued due to being deep in thought. Slade's level of possessiveness had surprised him, he honestly didn't think it would be such a big deal for the man that he had slept with Luthor. He was also thinking of his and Luthor's discussion about Slade's reason for doing all this. Why had the man waited? Had he simply not known? If he had been on a mission that he needed to finish first or where the news of Bruce's death hadn't reached him, then maybe. But the businessman had been right; it was a bit strange.

"Help Alfred with the dishes while I bring the car around," Slade ordered him as they finished eating.

Robin started gathering up the plates and as soon as the mercenary was out the door he hurried up to the old man.

"Al, this is important! We need to find a way out of this! Luthor knows who I am, he tried to blackmail me too, he and Slade talked and I don't know what they will agree to, but it can't be good! I've talked to Lucius; he and Selena will help. He's gonna see about how we can secure the company as much as possible, Selena is going to help us with ID's if we need to run, ok? The thing is that I don't even know if there's any other reason for Slade to show up here besides him-" Robin stopped himself before he told the old man too much. It was very important to him that Alfred wouldn't find out about the sexual aspects unless it was absolutely necessary. "Besides him being obsessed with me and wanting to control me," he finished.

To his surprise the old man's face seemed to crumple a bit.

"I… I have something to confess-" the old man started. "I… I hired him."

"You… _what_?"

"Master Wayne was always concerned with what would happen to us, and to some degree the company, if he would die, and he had several plans that I was privy to. Slade Wilson owed him a favor and he had him down as a possible candidate to both impersonate him, protect you and possibly help with the business. I eventually called him when… when it looked like you were… struggling. I told him that you might need some… discipline."

Robin gaped.

"I… I see."

"I swear I was only acting in your best interest!" the old man told him. "Bruce assured me that Mr. Wilson had a very strong moral code that would force him to do his best."

"His best controlling me?" the teen said faintly.

"I… I figured getting you back on your feet, giving you more confidence…"

"Yes, well… things are out of control now," the teen said. "I can't blame you for following Bruce's plan, Bruce didn't know I had any contact with Slade, did he?"

"Not as far as I am aware. I was surprised when it appeared that you knew each other, but things seemed to be working out… Has… has he hurt you?"

"Yes." Robin decided to be truthful, and carefully touched his bruise again. "He has. But no more than I can handle, and he has also done what I assume he promised to do. But now he seems to refuse to let go, and with Luthor involved-" a car honked outside and Robin knew he had to hurry. "Call Lucius, tell him he needs to make an excuse to talk to me alone again! Also make sure you two exchange information, it's much easier for you to keep in touch and for you to keep me informed… just always make sure Slade is far away and never say anything on the phone or text me anything suspicious, okay?"

"Of course, and… I'm sorry, I-"

"We'll talk about it later, Al, no time now!" Robin shouted half way through the door.

"What will you be talking to him later about?" Slade asked as he got into the car.

"Which room to prepare for Albert," Robin answered. "He's very excited about him coming. Do you think it's a good time? Do you want to cancel it?"

"We'll see how the next couple of days pan out."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Robin was plagued with the unwelcome feeling of letting Slade down, that he had betrayed him somehow and needed to make up for it.

_Slade must have really messed with my mind somehow…_ he thought angrily to himself. Still, acting on these feelings might let him get a better understanding of, well… how deep the shit he was in was.

"Slade…?" he asked, almost timidly.

The man gave an affirmative grunt in reply, so the teen continued.

"I… I'm sorry."

"Sure," the man's tone was very neutral, not giving the teen many clues.

"What… what did you and Luthor decide last night?"

"He gets your ass every other weekend."

"Wh-what?!" the teen stared over at the man, who has his eye on the road.

"It was a joke."

"It wasn't funny!"

"Hopefully not enticing either."

"Of course not!" the teen huffed. "I don't want you to give my company away, though!"

"I don't have any intention of doing so. Luthor knows that he really has nothing to bring to the table here. He might say that he has a backup plan if he's killed, and he might have, but the point is that he of course doesn't want to get killed in the first place."

"And I don't want you to kill him," Robin said. "Not because I have any mushy feelings towards him, but because I have something called morals."

"When it suits you, you do." Slade glanced over at him as he spoke, and smirked, and finally Robin relaxed, just a little. He felt somewhat forgiven.

"Yes, well, nobody's perfect," he muttered.

"I don't want to kill him either," Slade let him know.

"You don't? I almost feel insulted!"

"I should specify that I don't want to kill him from a business perspective. Other than that, I'd gladly rip is balls out through his throat."

Robin snickered. "Glad to hear it. Shows me you care," he drawled, getting a snort in reply.

"It's the balance," Slade explained. "No business is an island. If one goes down, it can drag others with it."

"So… stale mate?"

"Pretty much. But Luthor will go away, if he gets something, anything, really. That is what we are going to negotiate. We both need to come out winners, however, and that is… tricky."

Robin nodded in understanding, and even though the rest of the trip was silent again, there was much less tension now.

Almost as soon as they arrived Lucius Fox intercepted them.

"Richard, I need you for a few minutes before the meeting," he said and simply more or less swept him away. Robin barely had time for a backwards glance towards Slade before the elevator closed on them.

"I figured that it wouldn't make sense for me to ask Slade if I could talk to you. He's 'just' an employee, after all," the man smiled, and Robin grinned back.

"I'd actually love it if you'd treat him a bit like that sometimes. Just a little bit," he snickered.

"Well, as far as I have understood, things have blown up on us?"

Robin immediately got serious again and started to fill the man in. They paused as they got out of the elevator and it gave Lucius a bit of time to digest things, before they reached his office.

"You've made some… interesting choices," he said.

The teen blushed. "I know. And you can say it: mistakes."

"Well, Luthor was going to blackmail you either way. He probably just thought you'd be more vulnerable after- well." The older man looked almost comically uncomfortable. "I've been thinking about some options, weighing pros and cons. Let's discuss them and you can decide which ones might be possible," he continued.

Robin nodded. "Do we have time now?"

"I'll keep things very brief."

Twenty minutes later Robin entered his own office. In his hand he was holding a folder that was supposed to be his cover; rough plans for merging the electronics and technology departments to streamline the company a bit more. This had already been discussed at a board meeting and Lucius was in charge, so as covers went it was solid. Apart from presenting ideas to different kinds of solutions, Mr. Fox had also let him know that he had had the security team look for everything from cameras to listening devices and spyware, fine-combing the whole building and its electronics. This was done at irregular intervals anyway, so there wasn't anything suspicious about it. The important thing was that nothing had been found, and that made Robin relax slightly. He knew Slade could read him very well, and it was sometimes easy to picture him being able to hear and see everything he did, but clearly that wasn't the case. It seemed Slade, so far, relied on proximity and personal control, so as long as Robin wouldn't start disappearing too long or too often, the teen was pretty sure that the man wouldn't plant any bugs or the like. Actually, using those things might even seem like a weakness to the man, but the teen wouldn't completely trust that notion.

"What did he want?" Slade asked.

"He'd completed the plans for the merge, I said I wanted you to look through it, though, so he just went through it with me quickly," the teen answered and handed the man the folder.

Slade put it on his desk.

"I'll look at it after the morning meeting. Ready?"

"Just need some coffee," the teen claimed. "Would you like some too?"

"Yes, but it might look strange for _you _to bring _me_ coffee," the man smirked. "I'll get some. I'll meet you in the conference room."

Robin grinned at the prospect of the man serving him coffee. Yes, it was childish and really not a win, but, right now, he'd take what he could get.

Most of the workday passed and they were now coming back from an afternoon meeting downtown. Robin had just entered the elevator, slightly ahead of Slade, when someone called out for the mercenary.

"Mr. Wilson? I have a parcel for you!" the FedEx-guy claimed and the man headed over towards him. Robin was about to follow when someone else entered the elevator, making him step backwards. The button for the executive floor was pushed and only then did the teen look up.

"Luthor?!" he gaped. The man was wearing a hat and sunglasses, hiding his features just enough. He now took both off.

"I liked it better when you called me Lex," he lamented, but had a small smirk on his face. "Sorry for the little farce, I just wanted a few moments alone with you."

Robin was on high alert. The man might mean to harm him, after all, even though it seems highly unlikely in the current situation.

"Why?" he simply asked.

"I was worried. Did he hurt you?"

"Don't play games with me, Luthor, I'm honestly too tired…" the teen groaned.

"What did he do to you?"

"Just asserted his ownership. Mostly verbally," the teen muttered, wondering why he had said anything at all.

"I could maybe help you out of this," the billionaire claimed.

"For a price?" the teen drawled.

"Naturally," his 'benefactor' chuckled. "But a pleasant one to pay, I assure you."

"I don't want this to get more complicated than it already is. Just take whatever deal Slade gives you, wring out a bit more of it, and go," the teen almost begged.

The man was very close to him now, and he was looking up into those cold, green eyes, which, come to think about it, maybe wasn't that cold after all. Suddenly, the man bent down and kissed him. Robin was too stunned to do much, at first, but when hands started to caress him as well, he pulled away.

"Lex-!" he gasped.

"Ah, there it is…" the man purred.

"Are you insane?! He'll kill you!"

"That makes you worried? Very sweet." The man looked pleased.

"I… I don't know what this is, but you need to stop!" Robin suddenly had a little bit of an epiphany and decided to see if his theory was correct. "I can't be yours!" he claimed, baiting the hook. He was pulled into another fierce kiss, confirming his suspicions. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Lex had had his toy taken away and told he couldn't get it back, so Lex now wanted his toy more than ever. _Fuck my life…_ Robin thought to himself.

At least the man came to his senses enough to not try anything more as the elevator doors opened. Robin refused to enter his own office with the man, knowing that that would lead to Lex trying to take advantage again, so he stopped by his secretary's desk and went through things with her until another elevator stopped on the floor and Slade stepped out, looking none too happy with seeing Luthor, who, blank faced, was patently waiting.

"Richard, are you ready to begin?" the mercenary asked him.

"Yes, of course," Robin nodded, secretly wanting to run the other way.

"Miss Crown, this might drag out. Why don't you just finish up what you need to do and then take an early day?" Slade suggested.

The secretary looked pleasantly surprised and agreed. All Robin could think of, though, was 'no witnesses'. He swallowed and followed the two men into the office.

"That was quite a dirty trick," Slade told Luthor. "I'm almost impressed."

"Desperate times," the billionaire smirked, going over to a water pitcher and helping himself. "I remember when offices were well stocked with alcohol," he complained. "Water, Richard?" he offered.

"I… thank-" the teen glanced over at Slade. "No, no, I'll pass." He tried to figure out where to stand, or sit, so the blood splatter he was sure would occur soon enough, wouldn't hit him.

"I want you out of Gotham as soon as possible. Have you considered my proposals?" Slade asked through clenched jaws.

"I have."

"And?"

"I accept you 'slipping up' and letting me take over the oil contract we discussed, but I want something extra on top."

"What?" Slade growled.

"Richard."

Robin, even though he knew Luthor's goal, was still surprised that the man would simply state it like that, and gasped quietly.

Slade straightened up, his fists balled, and the teen was genuinely impressed when Luthor met his gaze calmly and coolly.

"Out of the question," Slade let him know.

"Oh, I don't mean permanently or all the time. I just want… access."

"Richard is off the table," the mercenary stated.

"Oh no," Luthor purred. "I seem him as very much _on_ the table…"

Two pair of eyes turned towards the teen, who swallowed nervously at the men's hungry expressions. It was very clear that they literally pictured him on a table and also in which kind of state they saw him.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not worth getting killed over!" Robin exclaimed. "Luthor… Lex… Please come to your senses!"

"Mr. Wilson here likes dominance," Luthor smiled smugly. "As do I. He'll never see you more dominated than if we do it together. We could have you right now, right here," the man said, walking up to the teen and stroking his cheek with the tips of his fingers. "And you'd be powerless to stop us."

One second later the billionaire was on the floor, groaning, with one arm bent behind his back, which Robin was straddling.

"You forgot who I am!" the teen hissed. "I'm in no way fucking _powerless_!"

"Robin, come here!" Slade snapped at him.

The teen tensed, and then got off the other man and walked over to Slade. Luthor got up from the floor, chuckling.

"Ah, but you see, 'Robin', you_ are_ powerless. If Slade wants you to submit to us, you will. Slade has that power here."

"You're try-" the teen started but the mercenary interrupted him.

"Quiet, Robin."

The young hero seethed. What he had realized, what he had been about to say, was that Luthor was trying to manipulate Slade, was trying to get him to demonstrate this suppose power over the teen. Unfortunately, it looked like it was working.

"Robin is mine," the mercenary growled.

"Of course!" Luthor threw his hands out. "I wouldn't dream of trying to take him from you, that would be futile. I simply offer myself up as a… tool. Another way of dominating him. Seeing him writher and moan on someone else's cock while you take his mouth… or why not take him together?"

"You can't-!" Robin gasped, but his neck was grabbed in warning for speaking up again.

"It is up to you, of course," Luthor continued flippantly, like he didn't care either way. "If you don't like it, we'll work something else out. I visit Gotham now and again, and I'm at your disposal at those times if you wish."

"So Robin…" Slade said. "Do you want him?"

"What? No!" the teen exclaimed.

"I'll leave it up to you, then," the mercenary claimed and suddenly shoved him forward into Luthor's arms. "I'd like to see if he can make you hard."

The teen tried to pull away but was stopped by Slade's voice, snapping at him.

"Don't fight him!"

"It's… it's not fair, I'm a teenager!" Robin complained. "He could be the Joker for fuck's sake!"

"Show some self-control," the mercenary snorted.

"You know what?" Luthor purred, his arms encircling the teen from behind. "I'm not sure Slade has enough self-control either… maybe seeing you will make_ him_ hard?"

Robin let out a strained chuckle as the billionaire caressed his blazer off. "I'm not sure that's a bet I'm willing to make," the teen claimed, his voice a bit strained.

"We all know you will lose his challenge," Luthor hummed as he kissed the teen's neck. "It wasn't fair on you. How will you get back at him? As I see it you have two options... Tease him… or enrage him."

Robin was torn. He knew he would be playing into Luthor's hands if he listened to this, but at the same time he knew the man was right: he _would_ lose. But, if he made Slade jealous enough, it was very possible that the mercenary would break them apart before anything even happened, maybe Robin could even control his own libido that long. Well. Maybe.

"Well…" the teen said and slowly turned around in the man's arms, looking very wide-eyed and vulnerable, "Okay," he added in a small voice, all geared towards provoking reactions out of both his 'lovers'.

They kissed, slowly and almost chastely, because they both knew that would most likely be the most provocatively to Slade. Luthor's hands rested on his hips where Slade would be groping his ass, and Robin touched him back, making little noises of passion where he would be much more passive with the mercenary.

"You… are incredibly perfect…" Luthor told him, almost breathlessly, as their lips parted for a moment. "If you were a woman, I'd make you mine by tomorrow."

Robin intended to chuckle but the sound was more like a pleased giggle.

"Pfft, get with the time, you could still marry me," he snickered.

"Sorry, wouldn't be good for my image," the man smirked.

The teen didn't get insulted, he knew it was all a game anyway.

"But…" the billionaire said thoughtfully, "I could buy you a house somewhere… or a few, all over the world, where we could be alone… away from prying eyes."

"I'm sure I'd be very grateful," Robin grinned and kissed the man again, taking initiative this time. He would never agree to be 'kept' of course, but again… the game.

"Care to show me how grateful?" the billionaire purred and pressed lightly on his shoulder while gesturing to the floor with his other hand.

It wasn't a bad idea. So far Robin had a pretty good control over his nether region and giving head would be much better than receiving it, if that control was going to last. However, the man's suggestion had given him a very different idea, so instead he pulled back a little, like he had been roused form this little act.

"I… I'm sorry, but…" he looked over at the mercenary. "I… I only do that for Slade." He then reached out, ever so slightly, for the man, like he was asking for him, pleading for him to make the decision, and at this point Slade was more than willing to step in. The man took a few steps forwards and suddenly Robin was tugged roughly to the other man's chest.

"That's enough," Slade told Luthor coldly.

"It was your bet," the man shrugged. "If you want to give in, you're welcome to."

Robin could feel the man tense, and didn't like it. He didn't want the man to be goaded into something stupid.

"Why don't we take this upstairs, in the apartment? More privacy and more comfortable," Slade said, making the teen groan.

As they left the office, one of the elevators opened and out stepped Lucius Fox with a young-looking man in tow.

"Oh, good I caught you," the man said, and Robin gave him a quiet 'get me out of here' look. "Richard, let me reintroduce my son Timothy, I believe it's been a very long time since you met, so I'm not sure either of you remember."

Robin smiled and shook the hand of the handsome mid-twenties something young man.

"Is it 'bring your kids to work'-day?" he joked.

"Apparently it's 'bring the competition to work'-day," Lucius said and eyed Lex. "Hello, Mr. Luthor."

"Mr. Fox," the billionaire nodded back.

Lucius turned his full attention back to Robin. "So, I'm not interrupting, are I? I didn't see any more meetings scheduled in your calendar today."

"No, no, we've just been finishing up, haven't we?" Robin said, hoping Slade wouldn't contradict him. The man didn't, only agreed.

"Excellent. With my son here back in town my wife has cooked up quite a feast and she insist that you attend. Will you do us the honor? I have my car, and you can arrange for Al to pick you up afterwards, perhaps?"

Robin, for once, did _not _look to Slade for approval.

"That would be lovely!" he instead said. "Wilson, Luthor, I want a suggestion for a solution by tomorrow morning. I know you'll figure it out," he told the two men, who looked a bit dumbfounded. The teen grinned. "Feel free to use the apartment… if it makes you more… comfortable," he added cheekily. He even gave them a little wave as he entered the elevator.

"So… did I save you?" Lucius wanted to know as they were going down to the garage.

"You either got me out of the worst or best experience of my life, but let's just say I wasn't willing to gamble…" the teen smirked. "So, Timothy, what do you do for a living?"

"He's a Harvard business major graduate," Lucius cut in.

"Yes, dad, and we learned to speak there too," his son said dryly, but with a small smile on his face.

It turned out the young man had been studying, interning and working as a volunteer at a micro-loan business in Zimbabwe, but was now back home looking for a job.

"Well, you need a future replacement…?" Robin suggested to his father. "Unless that position is filled and if Timothy is at all interested..?"

"Interested? In learning Wayne Enterprises?" Timothy chuckled. "It's basically a wet dream… But it wouldn't feel right to get a position based on who my dad is."

"I was thinking the same, Lucius sighed. "I don't like nepotism."

"Am I your boss?" Robin asked him coldly.

"Um… yes, sir?"

"Then get over it. I assume he's not filled in on any details-"

"-of course not!"

"-but," Robin continued. "Who could be more trustworthy than a family member?"

"Trustworthy?" Timothy asked, looking a bit worried about what he was picking up upon. "Please don't tell me Wayne enterprises is a coverup for a giant methlab you have in the basement?"

"No, no," Robin laughed and then turned serious, looking him straight in the eyes. "It's biological weapons."

* * *

The family dinner was amazing. Not only the food, Robin was used to good food, but the atmosphere. Apart from Timothy, Lucius and his wife Tanya, their two daughters Tam and Tiffany had joined too. Their children were all young adults by now and had moved away from home, but the family dynamics seemed the same. The siblings good-naturedly teased each other, their parents told them to eat more vegetables, and everyone told stories about their day. In all of this Robin felt completely included in a very natural way, which was new to him. He hadn't had dinners like these before, unless visiting friends from school when he was younger. Dinner with Bruce was usually amiable enough, but not exactly spirited, and with the Titans the dynamics of adults at the table was missing. Not that he would want to exchange any dinners he had had with his mentor or friends, but this was new…. And it was really nice.

"Anyone got room for dessert?" Tanya asked, and got groans mixed with affirmative sounds in reply.

"Mom, I wished you had said there would be dessert," Tam complained. "I'm going to roll into the gym tomorrow morning."

"You're going to the gym, can I come as your guest? I have time before class?" Tiffany, the youngest, who was in college here in Gotham but had opted to live in a dorm to feel more like an adult, said. "The gym at school sucks and memberships at other gyms are soooo expensive!"

"Sure, but you'd better put your alarm to five, I will be there at six," her older sister shrugged.

"That early?!"

"I start work at eight across town, I gotta go that early."

"Aww… well, maybe I'll skip it, then-" the girl said and then paused as her mother put down a huge apple pie and a large pitcher of custard on the table. "On the other hand… I'll come," she added in a small voice.

Robin chuckled and wondered what Slade would say about the pie. Not that he cared one bit. He, smiling, accepted a large slice.

When they had finished Lucius stood up.

"I hope you excuse us dear, but Richard and I have a few things to discuss in the office."

"Thank you so much for dinner, it was delicious," the teen smiled warmly. "I can't help cleaning up?"

"I have a son and two daughters, I'm sure they will be _more_ than willing to help," the woman said, giving her children a look. They chuckled and started to clear the table.

Robin and Lucius retired to an office at the other side of the house, where they sat down in plush leather chairs. For a moment it was just amiable silence, both just enjoying the afterglow of dinner.

"You have a lovely family… please adopt me?" Robin then said, chuckling.

"If you had been underage, I'm sure we'd both been happy too," the man told him warmly. "But you still have a family in us if and when you need one."

"Thank you," the teen smiled, fighting with his emotions.

"You're welcome. But about the situation… I've been in contact with Selena, she will need a few more days, but, as I said, I don't think running will be the solution here."

"Me neither. But I'm worried about the company and the house either way," the teen sighed. "The CIA will tear the house apart and they will find the cave eventually."

"You own the land, don't you? You don't rent it from the city?"

"No, we own it. It's been in the family since the Wayne's first arrived in the U.S," Robin explained. "The oldest parts of the house are almost as old. We have a stone floor in one of the back rooms that I know Bruce thought was from that time, and beams has been dated in rooms close to it."

"I'm going to look into what the authorities can and can't do in cases like these. You shouldn't be suspected in any crime, after all."

"Heh, tell that to the police department. Half of them love Batman and half of them hates him… same with the judges. I'm sure most of them would love to sign a search warrant out of spite… or curiosity."

"You are probably right, but I'll dig around," the man said. "How do you think Slade will react to me taking you away?"

Robin told him what the man might have saved him from and Lucius made a disgusted face.

"Are you safe now, you think? You are welcome to spend the night, hell, you can live here from now on if you wish. Wilson can't object without revealing himself."

"That sounds very tempting, but… Well, I'll be leaving Alfred alone and, to be honest, I'm a bit afraid of what will happen if Slade feels he's losing control of me. Before we have a proper plan, I think it's best to keep him in a relatively good mood."

"Will he… punish you for this?"

"Oh yes. At least a spanking for giving him lip as we left… but as he hopefully has no idea you are involved he won't punish me for going away… maybe for not coming up with an excuse, but I think he'll understand why I didn't want to come up with an excuse this time…" Robin chuckled. "But, to placate him, come by on Monday to ask if I want to grab a coffee and I'm going to turn you down, okay?"

"Okay. Code word coffee. If it's anything else I'll need to talk to you for real," the man nodded seriously.

"That's decided, then."

"Do you want to make any plans this weekend to get out of the house?"

"I… I'd better not. I'd better be a 'good boy' for a bit now."

"If you change your mind, just tell Alfred, and I'll have you out of there immediately."

"Thank you." Robin took a huge breath. "I can't tell you how good it feels to have a way out."

"I can't imagine how it must have felt to not have one," the man answered darkly. "I know your life has been... different… but you're still a young man, you shouldn't have to deal with anything even _close _to this on your own. Bruce might not have been good at reaching out for help, but I urge you to not follow in his footsteps in that."

"Thank you. I'll try. I was raised to look out for myself, though… it's a difficult pattern to break. But I'll try," he smiled and then checked his watch. "I think I'd better go home. I'll call Alfred."

"I'll drive you," the man offered. "But call Alfred anyway and ask about the situation. If things seem bad maybe you _should_ stay the night."

Robin made the call but all Alfred had to report is that Slade had returned only half an hour ago and had retired for the night. The man hadn't left any instructions to be told when the teen returned, so hopefully, Robin thought, he might be able to just sneak into his room and go to bed.

The house was quiet when he came home. Robin hugged the old butler, promising they would talk the next day. He kept quiet walking upstairs but was still surprised when he reached his door with no interception. He even double checked his phone for messages, but he had gotten none.

He slipped inside his room, closed the door behind him and turned on the light. He blinked and then groaned.

"You _have_ to be kidding me?!"

_To be Continued…_

_A/N: _and I have to write ahead a little more. I have some different scenarios of how this might end but nothing is set in stone, what are your feelings? Let me know!


	11. Chapter 11: Control Questions

AN/: the end is nearing, not too many chapters left now, I don't think… it depends on if the characters do as I wish or not. They are a rowdy bunch,

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 11: Control Questions**

Luthor was reclining on the bed, Slade was leaning against the wall by the window. They smirked at him and Robin rolled his eyes, sighing.

"Please tell me you have at least come to an agreement?"

"We have," Slade confirmed.

"And it includes… this?" The teen gestured to the general scene in front of him, including the two men. Both were in their underwear, which should make them less imposing but somehow didn't.

"It does." Slade didn't look a hundred percent happy, and Lex's smirk widened just a smidge.

"Do I want to know what you have been doing while you waited? Scrabble? Thinking up ways to pose? Did you _discuss_ if you were going to undress and how much? Seriously, I need the behind the scenes special here," the teen drawled.

"Sounds more like you need an attitude adjustment," Slade growled, but didn't move and didn't sound very serious either.

Robin sighed again, his shoulders slumping a little. "Is this a one-time deal?" he wanted to know.

"Yes." Slade's answer was quick.

"Well…" Lex spoke up. "I believe it states that some personal preferences are involved. On your part, of course, Richard."

"Which means…?"

"That, if I'm in town… I'm available. If you wish. A nice dinner, interesting, intelligent conversation… maybe more… I know you're more used to grunts, but I don't speak gorilla," he added giving the mercenary a gleeful look.

"Ah, so what you are saying is that you're my escort if I want you… that's nice, very generous," Robin smirked, making Slade chuckle. Good. Then he had at least scored some points there…

Lex, however, just threw his hands out slightly as to offer himself up, with a smirk on his own.

Robin sighed again. "Okay… Let's get this done, then," he sighed. He had gained a lot from the past couple of hours. He suddenly felt that he had the full support of someone he could not only trust but also be completely honest with. The family-time had filled him with an amount of confidence and security he didn't have before. He had a life line. A safety net. He could afford to take a plunge.

He shrugged his blazer off, while kicking off his shoes and socks. He then quickly pulled his t-shirt over his head.

"Well, are there any rules?" he asked.

"None what so ever," Slade said, his voice slightly deeper.

"So I can suck him off?" the teen asked, gesturing to the billionaire.

"If you wish." Again, Slade wasn't too happy, but clearly not enough to stop it. Robin noticed that both men were watching him like dogs watching a meat bone, and that sent tingles to all the right places in his body. Or wrong places, depending on the point of view. Speaking of view, it was getting better as both men decided to get fully naked as well. The sight reminded the teen of something, though.

"Okay, just wanted to make sure. I'm game, I'll play, but no dp! If anyone tries to shove his dick in where it's already occupied, I _will_ kick. And I will kick _hard_."

"Noted," Lex nodded. "We don't intend to hurt you, Richard, we just want to… _enjoy_ you. And hopefully make you_ very_ satisfied in the process."

"Well, I fucking hope you'll try," the teen snorted and pushed his fitted jeans down, together with his underwear. "There. Now what?"

Slade answered that question by suddenly being in front of him and pulling him in for a ravaging kiss. Robin had barely figured out how to breathe again afterwards before he was pushed onto the bed into Luthor's waiting arms. The man placed him in his lap, straddling it, and caressed his chest with hands and lips. Robin gasped as Slade settled behind him, sandwiching him in, and he could feel the men's lengths rubbing both his front and back.

"R-remember what I said about no dp," he gasped.

"Well, are you sure you want to miss the opportunity to try?" Lex smirked at him.

"I'll kick you so hard your pubes will end up on the top of your head," the teen growled.

"That's one way to solve the baldness-problem," Slade chuckled.

"I just thought I'd offer," the billionaire snorted. "It feels like you're excited enough," he added with a leer.

"Is he now?" Slade purred behind him and kissed Robin's neck.

They both teased him cruelly by caressing every inch of skin apart from his more erogenous zones, even his nipples were only skirted with tongues and fingertips. The sweet torture soon had the teen squirming and panting, biting his lips so he wouldn't beg. A loud moan broke through when the mercenary moved back a little and kissed the middle of his back.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Lex chuckled. "Good. Because we plan on keeping this up for hours."

"No… no, please… please… more?" Robin begged, finally breaking. He rubbed himself against the man. "Please?"

"Well, Wilson has told me you have a very talented mouth… when not used for speaking," the billionaire claimed, hinting at what he wanted the teen to do. Robin shimmied down, pushing into Slade who allowed for the change in positions, and dove down on Lex's member, pushing his own ass so far up in the air that Slade had to take the hint or he was dumb as mud.

Slade, however was quite intelligent and continued kissing downwards until Robin gasped and deepthroated Lex by accident. He pulled up, breathless, his eyes very wide.

"S-Slade…? Slade, what… what are you…? Oh, god… Oooohhhh GOOOOOOD!"

"Would you mind…?" Lex asked, gesturing downwards.

"He's…. he's…." was all Robin could say.

"You don't even know the name for it, do you?" Luthor chuckled.

Robin just moaned helplessly and shook his head.

"Go back to work and I'll tell you later," the billionaire generously promised. "Maybe, after this, you'll need a very specific new dictionary."

The teen actually tried to please the man, but the sensations from his lower regions got in the way and he found himself mainly using his hand in fear of accidentally biting down on the man or scratching him. Lex seems to grasp the situation, though, and merely looked amused. Robin saw a movement, Lex throwing something to Slade, and a moment later something cold hit his opening and then two fingers pressed inside, spreading what turned out to be lube, around.

"You'd better put a cock in me right now!" Robin growled, aching for it.

"As you wish," Slade chuckled, but to the teen's surprise pushed him forwards, up the billionaire's body one more. "It's time for me to enjoy that mouth of yours," Slade explained and Robin sighed in bliss as he helped Lex's length enter him.

Riding Lex while sucking off Slade was awkward, however, especially as Slade had to stand on the bed, so after a while they moved so Robin was on his knees on the bed, Lex behind him and Slade stood on the floor in front. Neither of the men took it easy now, but the teen didn't ask them too either, as both came inside him Robin became undone himself without even touching his own body. He didn't get any rest, though, as Slade recovered as quickly as usual and simply turned him around and, grabbing his legs, held him up in a perfect position to enter, and slammed in. The extra girth burned, but it rekindled the fire in Robin as well, and soon he was lost to the world once more.

Water splashing down on him was the next thing he knew. They were in the shower, where Robin ended up getting fucked by Slade again, while coaxing Lex back into hardness. After a quick shower they took advantage of that hardness with one extra round in the bed and then the teen was spent beyond belief and simply fell asleep, dead to the world.

"Oh my. Oh, my."

Robin was slowly coming back around, though his body and brain were fighting the idea vehemently. Everything felt foggy and great, and a bit sore and- he had just recognized the voice. The teen's eyes shot open and met Alfred's. Then the same teen noticed that he wasn't alone, like he had expected. No, he was sandwiched between Lex and Slade, who both were either still asleep or pretended to be.

"Al-!" the teen gasped and started to sit up. One arm from each man almost lazily snaked around him, however.

"You're not going anywhere," Slade grunted, and Robin actually thought he might still be asleep.

"I'll… I'll take this downstairs," Alfred said. He was standing in the doorway with a breakfast tray and his face was quite ashen.

"I can explain-" Robin began, although he honestly couldn't.

"All… all in due time, I'm sure," the old man said and then stopped. "Would… would you like me to call the police?" he asked so quietly that he was almost mouthing it. "Or… someone else?"

"No, no, Al, it's fine," Robin said. "It was… consensual. Not my idea, really, but consensual. I'll… later?"

"Very well, Master Richard," the man said and left.

"Oh god…" Robin groaned and let himself fall back against the pillows. "Let go of me?" he whimpered.

"Why? This is cozy, isn't it?" Slade chuckled, finally fully awake.

"A bit crowded," Luthor thought. "You should spend the night at my hotel, Richard. The sheets aren't quite as good as these, but the bed is a perfect size… for two."

"Why don't you and Slade spend the night together, see how you feel in the morning?" Robin growled.

"It's too late to get an attitude now, boy, especially after all that moaning and begging last night," Slade snorted and smacked his behind lightly. "But I agree. It's time to get up. We have some serious damage control to do concerning Alfred."

The teen groaned again and actually burrowed down, closer to Luthor. "Can't you go talk to him yourself?" he asked Slade.

"Let's make this clear…" the mercenary leered. "I have a semi at the moment, I'm happy to make it fully erect and fuck you for a few hours before breakfast-"

"I'm up!" the teen said, sitting straight up.

"Good, because as I was about to say, I think it would make things worse."

"I am assuming," Luthor said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, "that there will be no offer of breakfast?"

"You can have breakfast, but I can't guarantee it won't contain copious amounts of Alfred's spit," Robin smirked and then chuckled at the billionaire's expression of disgust.

"I shall have breakfast at my hotel, then," the man said. "Which, as I said, you're welcome to join me at," he added to Robin.

"Heard you the first time. Doubt it will happen," Robin grunted as he got up. "Ow, fuck, I hope you both have freak accidents involving baseball bats! It's only fair that you'll feel this sore too," he complained.

"The offer is still there," the man insisted as he started to dress.

"Why?!" Robin snapped. "I know it can't be _me_! Just to annoy Slade? You can get a hole to fuck anywhere, anytime, I doubt mine is so damn special! Are you trying to fuck Superman by proxy?"

The man gave him a rather surprised look that turned slightly annoyed, and walked up to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, close enough to his neck so that his thumb could caress it.

"You think too lowly of yourself," the businessman said sternly and then leaned forward and kissed Robin's brow. He then let him go and continued to dress, looking thoughtful. The teen was quite stunned, and just stood there, naked, until the man only had his tie left. Luthor tied is expertly as he spoke again, thoughtfully. "When I am at home, I find my own company sufficient enough. Well, apart from sex. I enjoy spending time alone, I've never felt lonely. But when I'm in another city… the hotel room is so impersonal, so… I have trouble relaxing, like I'm staying in a stranger's house. Then I prefer to be out of there, in the company of others. Your company, Richard, is one that I have highly appreciated. You are spirited, bold, unpretentious… and you're not after me. When I'm out with women they are most likely after my money, but you want nothing from me… nothing I won't be very happy to give you anyway…" he added with a leer. "You're not even trying to get business advantages, but that's probably something you'll learn in time, unfortunately. So… I truly enjoy our time together. For me, you're not just a hole or someone to control," he said, with a not-so-subtle glance at Slade, who just muttered something as he was dressing as well.

"So you are saying," Robin drawled, "that you'd be completely ok with just a dinner next time?"

"I'd be more than ok with that; I'd be grateful," the man claimed. "I'll let you know when I'm in town again," he continued and came up to the teen again, this time the man kissed his lips. Robin couldn't even find his senses enough to step away, and let it happen. The man gave him a small smile and, without acknowledging Slade with even a look, left the room.

"You do know that he's playing you, right?" the mercenary wanted to know.

"Of course he is," Robin snorted. "But he's very good at it," he added with a grin towards the door.

"And I'm not?"

"You actually suck at it. If you had acted a bit like Lex, then maybe you wouldn't have had to blackmail me," the teen snorted.

"And wouldn't you have hated me more? If I made you feel things for me and you found out it was all just a charade to get you to be mine?"

The teen hesitated. He hadn't actually thought about that. "I… I guess so."

"So am I getting points for being honest?" the man smirked.

The teen laughed derisively, "Yeah, suuure," he said. "I need a shower," he added.

"No, we'll talk to Alfred first and then work out," Slade ordered.

"I'm not facing Al covered in two men's…. stuff!" Robin objected. He had heard the order, though, and he knew Slade had let him get away with a lot both yesterday and today, so he added a meek "Please? I'll be quick!"

"Very well," the man sighed, "Let's both shower, then. It might calm things down if we didn't smell like a whore house. Meet me outside in twenty minutes."

Twenty minutes passed too quickly and Robin had difficulty controlling his nerves as he followed Slade down the wide, winding main staircase. They found the old butler in the kitchen, tidying up.

"Mr. Pennyworth, we need to talk," Slade began.

"Yes, indeed we do, Mr. Wilson. Let me start. You're fired."

Robin didn't dare to breathe, just in case Slade would simply accept that and leave, but the man only smirked. "Is that so?"

"Indeed."

"So I assume you have told Robin why I'm really here?"

"I have."

"Recently?"

"Yes."

"I see." The teen didn't like the tone of the man's voice.

"Maybe… maybe we should go sit down?" Robin suggested, afraid for the frail looking old man.

The mercenary agreed and soon Alfred and Robin were on a couch and Slade had taken one of the chairs, like it was a throne.

"Al? I… I'm really sorry," Robin said quietly, facing the man and carefully reaching out for him. The man grabbed his hand and held it gently in both of his.

"Did… did he rape you, Master Richard?" Alfred asked, his voice shaky.

"Not… not last night. He… he likes to control me and… it started as punishments. He… he hasn't hurt me, though, not really."

"Not really?! He raped you! And I let that monster into this house!"

"Al, please… I know it's… it's fucked up-"

"Language, young man," the butler interrupted.

Robin gave him a grin, but ducked his head in apology. "It's… crazy… but, Al, I've been through a lot… I've been close to death too many times to count, I've been beat up even more. And this sounds even more f- strange, but… it's Slade. We've been battling since I was barely more than a kid. He's not just a random stranger. I understand that in many cases that would make it worse, if it was someone you trusted or loved, but…" he sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. I can't explain it. I think my situation is rather… unique… there's no rulebook that says how you are supposed to feel or react in situations like these… my reasoning might not make sense or be 'right' to anyone else, but it makes sense to me. I am the one feeling these feelings, and although I wish it had never happened… so far, I'm fine."

"It's good to hear, my boy," the old man mumbled, but still didn't look convinced. "But," he continued with a stronger voice, "like you said it should never have happened. Mr. Wilson, I called you to help the situation. Not this. I'd like for you to leave."

"You called in a favor. I'm honoring that favor. I've gotten myself a modest salary from the company, but I'm practically doing it for free, considering my usual rates," Slade said, managing to sound reasonable. "You can't deny that I'm doing my job. Robin is emotionally more stable, he's healthier than he was a couple of weeks ago and he has finally stopped confusing the business term principal with a headmaster. He is starting to see the whole picture, and he'll be ready to run the company soon enough."

"How soon?" Robin asked darkly.

The man shrugged. "A year or two, maybe."

"And you're planning to stay for that long?" the teen growled.

"Maybe longer. I've considered marrying you."

Slade had done some things during the last few weeks that had scared Robin, but nothing like this. The teen completely froze in his seat.

"N-no! No, no, please, no!" he whispered. Not even for a second did he consider that the man wouldn't be able to pull that off, somehow. In his mind, what Slade wanted Slade was very likely to get.

"You will leave today," Alfred said in the coldest voice Robin had ever heard him use.

"Then," Slade answered smoothly, "today is when the Wayne empire ends. I very much doubt you will survive the night, old man. Robin will, because I'll bring him with me. He's mine. The house will burn, however. There are many in Gotham who would be champing at the bit if they knew this place was open to plunder, as well as Batman's personal enemies who would most likely want to see anything related to him torn to pieces… including his butler," the man added with a sinister smirk.

Alfred looked completely unperturbed, but Robin's heart was beating a hundred miles an hour.

"The Justice League-" the old man started.

"Involve them and you'll have a war on your hands. I'm very difficult to kill. I might not be able to fight them all off forever, but I'll take as many with me as possible. Maybe including Robin." The teen's eyes widened at the last part, and the old man gasped. "Why would I let anyone else have him if I can't?" Slade asked rhetorically.

"You will not hurt him!" Alfred stood up, the old man shaking. Slade stood up too and Robin sprang to his feet as well, putting himself between the two men.

"I am not currently hurting him. Quite the opposite. Stay out of this, old man, and the boy will be just fine."

"I will!" Robin confirmed, finding himself about to try to convince Alfred to let the mercenary keep abusing him. "Like I said, I'm fine. And he_ is _helping. He'll grow bored of all this soon enough," the teen quickly said. "Slade," he added, turning to the man, "this is crazy! You're really going to spend the rest of your life helping to run a business? The media is getting more and more interested in you, you will lose any chance of anonymity soon, it will make it quite hard to be a mercenary, won't it? Even with your mask, you can't go everywhere with it on? You'll lose your freedom!"

"Awww," the man chuckled and pulled him closer. Robin let it happen. "You haven't considered the possibility that you might be worth it?"

The teen gave a short, derisive, laugh. "Sure I am. Just like Lex told me, huh? I'll trust both of you equally when it comes to how much I mean to you."

"I'm very hurt," the man snorted. "At least _I'm _willing to marry you." The man still had one arm around him, his hand on the teen's lower back, and was smirking down at him.

"I'm so glad our children won't be born bastards," the teen drawled. "Slade, I beg you; think about this. I'm going to be here. I'm willing to… make a deal with you. Something like with Lex, perhaps? And I'm not telling you to leave now. Stay a while. A few weeks, a month. Fuck my brains out every chance you get. Get it out of your system."

The man gave him a contemplating look and then chuckled. "You and I think alike. That was basically my plan from the beginning."

"Great! Follow that then!" Robin exclaimed, feeling just a little bit hopeful.

"I don't think I'll tire, though," the man smirked. "You're far too entertaining."

"Why? Because I keep breaking your rules? Because I haven't broken?" Robin spat. "Well, one month with me as a doormat and you'll be out of here."

"Possibly. If I thought it was real. One month of you _acting_ like a doormat, however, that would be too good to miss. Besides, you wouldn't make it through a day."

It might have been a challenge, but Robin didn't bite. Mostly because he knew that Slade was right. He gently pulled away from the man's hold and Slade let him. He sighed and sank back onto the couch where he felt Alfred's comforting hand on his arm.

"I have to remain you toy or you'll kill me and the one closest to me. I might have to remain with you for life, destroying all hope of having a family of my own. I'm yours until you decide to throw me away… is that it?"

"Don't moan, it's not like you will suffer," the man snorted.

"Oh, yeah, so you'll adopt kids with me, then? I've always wanted children, Slade, are you ready to be a daddy?" the teen snorted. It wasn't completely true. He had once or twice thought that if he left the hero-world and found someone to settle down with, that adoption might be an option. Or foster parenting. He knew what it felt like to lose his parents and he wanted to give a few kids the love and security of a home again if he was ever able to. That said, it wasn't on his 'must' list, just if things happened to fall in place like that. Now, however, he brought it up to see how Slade would react. The man actually seemed speechless for a moment.

"I'm… sure that could be arranged. In five years or so," he then stated.

Robin's jaw dropped. He hadn't expected that. At all. And it wasn't welcome. His only comfort was that it had made the man look slightly taken aback, but what that might mean was anyone's guess.

Robin wanted to punch the man so badly. Wanted to scream in his face that he was insane and that he'd never want to have kids with him in a million years, but then he remembered what he had told Lucius about being a 'good boy'… that Slade needed to feel t hat he was in control or things would get worse. The man had certainly made that clear. Therefor Robin just sat there, quietly, until the man declared their little meeting over and that it was time for the gym.

The teen needed time to think things through, time to talk to Alfred and preferably Lucius too, but Slade kept him busy for the rest of the day. The man barely let him out of his sight.

Robin's phone beeped in early afternoon and he checked the message before handing over the phone to Slade, who held his hand out for it. They were in the office and the teen had just left a few things on Slade's desk and was about to head back to his own when the signal sounded.

"Luthor is back in Metropolis. Wanted me to know he arrived safely," Robin explained tiredly.

"How sweet."

"Jealousy makes you sound so childish," the teen smirked.

"Do you like that I'm jealous?" the man smirked back.

"Well, in a way. That way you won't whore me out to any more people… unless they are as rich as Lex. What more did you agree on, by the way?"

"Mostly you, actually. He'll get some inside information on some procurement-procedures so he can come in with a fitting bid if he wants the deal, but I easily got the number of those down to three. The rest was last night and any… dates… you'll be willing to go on."

"And you're not allowed to stop me if I want to go? Or punish me?" the teen asked.

"No. He actually specified the punishment part. He almost convinced me he cares," Slade drawled.

Robin chuckled. "He doesn't want his toy scuffed up."

"Who does?" the man leered and pushed his chair back a little. "Come here," he added and patted his lap.

Robin rolled his eyes but obeyed, rounded the desk and straddled the man's lap. Slade immediately pulled him in for a kiss. The teen placed his arms around the man's neck, half for balance, half because he didn't know what to do with them.

"I didn't like sharing you," the man let him know as their lips parted. "Well, I can't deny I liked seeing you between us, but now I have you back."

"Didn't… we have numbers to check?" Robin gasped; his breath still stolen.

"We have deserved a break, I think," the man grinned and stood up, holding the teen easily, and placed him on the desk. "Let's see if old furniture really is sturdier than new," he leered.

"We haven't tried any new- ah, dammit, that was a trap, wasn't it?" the teen groaned.

"Yes. Your desk is next."

Both desks held, although Robin complained that his back was not as lucky. Not to mention his ass. They somehow managed to get back to work afterwards, and worked until Alfred announced that dinner was ready.

To say the meal was awkward was an understatement, especially afterwards when Slade announced that Robin should follow him to his room. The teen was only able to share a look with his butler and then he was herded away again.

Robin fell asleep in the man's bed that night. Slade hadn't told him to leave and, as the man had worn him out again, the teen had been defenseless as sleep had claimed him. Just the moments before, he had contemplated the day and quietly wished that the next day would be better. A quiet Sunday was really what he needed right now.

_To be Continued…_

A/N: some were not excited for a threesome, some were. I didn't plan on it from the beginning, but Lex insisted his fee for appearing in this story was too low, and he needed something to sweeten the deal… 😉 I hope you all lived through it. I left out most details as super-long- sex scenes are a bit boring to me nowadays. I'm currently rereading a fan fic which has them and I just quickly scroll through, so I decided to mainly do the set up, one or two details and then fade to black. Let me know if that was the right thing to do!


	12. Chapter 12: Ground Control

A/N: It's slowly wrapping up; things are coming together.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 12: Ground Control**

Sunday morning. For some reason this was the first thought that entered the teen's mind as he woke up. It as Sunday morning. It_ felt_ like it too, somehow. He was amazingly comfortable and then, just after realizing that, he also realized that he was in Slade's bed and being the small spoon. He was basically cradled in the man's arms, actually, and if he had loved the man behind him it would have been incredibly sweet and romantic. As it was, however, Robin just sighed and started to slowly free himself.

Slade's arms tightened for a second as the man woke up himself, but then he let the teen go with a displeased grunt. Robin snickered, thinking the man sounded like a weird adult toddler who has had his pacifier taken away.

"You're in a good mood," the man noted.

"Just had a funny thought."

"Care to share?"

"You wouldn't find it funny," Robin smirked at the man as he got out of bed. "And I need the bathroom."

"I can see that," Slade hummed and the teen discovered that his member was half hard. It was just from needing to pee very badly, however, so the teen just snorted and shuffled into the bathroom. As he was in there anyway, he decided to shower and, as he did, Slade came in to relieve himself as well. When the man was done, he too stepped into the shower just as Robin left it to dry off. It was weirdly comfortable and they were in tune like an old married couple, the teen thought. Once he was dry enough, he gathered his clothes up but didn't really want to put any of the old ones on, as that would make him feel dirty again. Instead he rummaged through the room until he found a stack of Slade's t-shirts and put one of those on instead. It hung on him and reached almost to his knees, like a short dress, but it had to do until he got back to his own room and he didn't dare leave without Slade's permission.

Judging by the man's leer he liked the teen's new getup. As soon as the teen saw the expression, he hurriedly tried to distract the man with other things, however.

"So what is the plan today?" he asked. "Are we working out? Working? What?"

"I think we've deserved a nice, quiet Sunday, just the two of us," the man told him, which wasn't what Robin had hoped for. Not that he minded the sex anymore, it was easy enough to get into, but he really had hoped for some alone time today, to speak to Alfred. The butler had had similar thoughts, though, it turned out as they came down to breakfast.

"Mr. Fox called and inquired if you would like to have Sunday lunch with him and his son in town today," he was told.

"Oh, that would be-" Robin started.

"No," Slade said, "You will decline. Like I told you, we're spending the day together."

"Yes, but… you could come? I could say that I wanted you to meet Timothy?"

"His son? Why would I want to meet him?" Slade asked.

Robin was dumbfounded for a moment before things clicked. "I forgot to tell you!" he exclaimed. "And don't you dare try to blame me, because if that distraction wasn't a good enough excuse, than nothing is!"

"Alright, spanking canceled," the man smirked. "For now," he added just in case. "It depends on what it is you have to tell me."

Robin told the man about Lucius' son and his credentials and then what had been decided, although he tried to word is so it wasn't obvious that he had made such a decision without consulting the mercenary.

"He's basically family, just like Albert," he ended. "I need people I can trust further than what I pay them. Especially if I want to leave the company in their hands, which is what I think I want to do, at least mainly."

Slade seemed to be thinking it over but then nodded. "We might be getting whispers of nepotism. We need to spin this. Maybe he applied for the job and I interviewed him, not knowing he was Lucius' son… He might have used his mother's maiden name, determined to make it on his own. You met him and was equally impressed and it was decided before his father knew he had even applied."

"People like the idea of the self-made person," Robin nodded, "But it's important to get our stories straight, then… so we_ should_ meet them."

"Not in public, that would defeat the purpose, but yes. Have them here, but for dinner. His wife too, she needs to be telling the same tale," Slade said.

"I'll arrange it with them, sir," Alfred nodded and left them to their breakfast.

The weather was kind of dreary, it was February after all, but Slade decided that, as they skipped the gym in the morning, the least they could do was to take a walk around the property.

They walked in silence, Robin trying to find inner calm by letting his eyes rest on the familiar scenery. The whole area was fenced in by a very tall wall with iron wrought spikes at the top, hopefully deterring any climbers. There was an exceptionally advanced electrical alarm system as well; an 'official' one that the guard firm, that was located in an old gatehouse, controlled and one connected to the Batcave, that was hooked up to some rather nasty defense mechanisms in case the manor would actually come under attack. Robin knew all the guards by name, they worked three at a time and they did a good job keeping curious people away. Their only domain was outside, however. Inside, technology ruled, and there were even more defense mechanisms if needed. Still, there were ways to get where you needed to go if you knew how. Selina had clearly been clued in by Bruce and Robin also knew how to bypass the guards, just in case he couldn't enter through the normal means. It took a lot of knowledge and a few personal codes, however, so those ways in were hardly holes in the security system.

"You're deep in thought?" the man prompted.

"Just thinking about the house… the history."

"Good."

"Why?" Robin blinked.

"As long as it's on your mind, you won't want to risk it," the man shrugged.

"I can't believe you'd rather see me dead than happy," the teen mumbled.

"You'll be happy enough if you just let go of this idea of 'freedom' you seem to have," the man snorted.

"Excuse me?"

"You seem to think you'll be happy only if you get to fall in love with someone. Who says you ever will? Who says the relationship will work out? Who says that person will actually love you back? With your position you'll have plenty of gold diggers around, and some of them are quite crafty. Or do you think they will all be as clumsy and blunt as the archers? Oh, no, they will 'accidentally' bump in to you a few times, share the same hobbies as you, befriend you. The clever ones won't throw themselves at you, they will slowly become a part of your life, maybe have someone you trust introduce them to you… anything to make you believe in fate and happy coincidences and the miracle of love."

"Holy shit, someone must really have hurt you," the teen snorted, but the man's words burned.

Slade just chuckled before he continued. "Now you have me. I'll protect you against any of those people and instead of building our lives on a lie, you are simply mine. In time, who knows, you might come to have warmer feelings for me. You tend to have a good time in my company no matter what we are doing, you can't deny that. And would you have that if you hated me? I doubt it. You are drawn to me, Robin. Even attracted to me. Stop seeing me as a wall between you and some fantasy happy future and start seeing me as that future instead."

"You sound like we're in an arranged marriage from the middle ages," the teen snorted.

"Those seemed to have worked out for a few thousand years," the man smirked.

"Well, women didn't get to have a voice then, did they?" the teen muttered. He felt himself beaten back by the arguments. Arguments he didn't buy, but found hard to battle, because the man weaved truth into them… like them mainly having an amiable time… like the attraction. Robin knew this would have been a completely different situation if Slade had been Johnny Rancid or the Joker, he couldn't even pretend otherwise. Slade was attractive and he was charismatic and he had a natural dominance that was just so easy to follow, just as he led him around the grounds right now. The teen hadn't even thought of taking the lead or trying to steer them in a particular direction, instead he had followed Slade whenever he changed course and adapted his pace to the man's. And he didn't mind very much. What he _did_ mind, however, was that it wasn't by choice. He might very well be happy with the man if he had only gotten a choice to be, and that was Slade's mistake. Because Robin would fight for that choice, in any way he could, and it was something the man, if he had understood that part of the teen's mentality, could have offered him from the start. If he had, the young hero might very well had considered the man an option, which wasn't the case now. Slade set off again and, with a frown as he was deep in thought, Robin automatically followed.

Dinner came and everyone was perfectly behaved and, on the surface, were having a great time. Slade treated Timothy very fairly, not exactly grilling him in any way, but asking questions to give him a good idea of the young man's background, goals and motivations. He seemed pleased with what he found out and said as much.

Robin was tense, naturally. He still hadn't been 'allowed' a single moment alone with Alfred, but he wasn't sure if Slade meant to keep them apart or if the man just didn't want to let the teen out of his sight for more personal reasons. Robin hoped that Slade didn't suspect a conspiracy, especially not between him and the Fox-family.

They decided on a house tour after dinner and Lucius was deep in conversation with Slade as Timothy held Robin back from the group by asking about a painting. Robin told him what he knew of the piece and as soon as the rest of the group turned a corner, the young man whispered;

"Uhm, so... yeah, this is weird, but… okay, basically, dad said to tell you that he of course hadn't filled me in on anything but to say that a certain businessman has contacted him asking if he thought that Mr. Wilson would be interested in a job…?"

It took a moment of confusion, but then the teen's brain clicked into gear and he grinned. "Yes. Tell your father to, if possible, set up a meeting about it as soon as it can be arranged, preferably tomorrow. Tell him we have a lot to discuss!"

"Of course," the young man nodded. He ten sighed. "This is the weirdest job interview I've ever been on, and at one I had to carry a pole to keep any possible crocodiles away,"

"You might need that pole again…" Robin chuckled. "I'll give your dad the all clear to fill you in as soon as possible."

"Thanks. We'd better move on."

"See? Good thinking. You'll be a good spy in no time," Robin smirked.

They caught up with the rest of them and Slade had apparently missed them even in the few moments it had taken.

"Caught up in something?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sorry, the Monet painting," Timothy explained. "I was just proud I recognized his style, I sorely need art lessons. Apparently, Bruce's grandfather got it directly from the artist as a gift!" he said, addressing his parents.

Robin was glad that he had actually told Timothy something about the painting before he understood what it was all about and that the young man had remembered. Slade nodded and turned his attention elsewhere, so they had apparently not raised any suspicions.

Alfred came to tell them that they were invited down to the larger sitting room for dessert and coffee and before they sat down Slade had an unwelcome surprise for them.

"If I may have your attention?" he said, coming to stand next to Robin. "Things like these are a bit awkward, but you are both part of Richard's work family as well as extended family, so we decided that we should tell you… Richard and I have started seeing each other." The man's arm encircled the teen's waist as Robin blushed cutely in what was actually anger. It was lucky the key figures here knew what was going on, but Timothy looked very surprised and his mother looked rather delighted in her innocence.

"Congratulations," she smiled. "The workplace is apparently the most common place to meet someone. Remember that, Timothy, look around, will you?" she added as a joke.

"Mom!" the young man objected.

"Maybe Wayne Enterprises should expand into the dating field, huh?" Robin grinned and wound one of his own arms around Slade, playing along.

"I don't mean to dampen the mood," Lucius, spoke up, frowning a little, "But are you sure you can still be objective in your role, Mr. Wilson? Or is your contract coming to an end?"

"I'm a professional," the mercenary told him. "I can see beyond… personal affection," he added, smiling down at the teen.

"Still, if you don't mind, we need to be vigilant. I hope you both allow me to try to make sure that business stays business, so to speak?"

"Of course," Robin hurriedly said. "I trust both you and Slade in this, but you have been with the company for much longer. If you see anything you don't agree with, please speak up."

"I will then," the man said, but then put on a smile. "Love I agree with very much, though," he said and raised his cup of coffee. "To love!" he toasted. The rest chuckled at toasting in coffee but copied him, and a glance at Slade's face told the teen that the man was more relaxed towards the other man now.

"Oh, by the way, is this official or would you like to keep it under wraps?" Lucius asked. "Just so I know what to answer if it reaches the media."

"Under wraps for now," Slade answered, and Robin nodded like that was something they had agreed upon. "We might go on the occasional date, but we don't necessarily want to shout it to the world just yet. But it's not something that needs to be kept quiet at all costs… should someone draw conclusions and report it to the media, then so be it. If questions come in, we might want to make a personal statement, though."

"Noted," the man nodded. "If I had known this before you would of course had been invited to dinner on Friday as well, I apologize."

"No need, no need, it was only yesterday we decided to share," Slade assured him.

"Oh good, but next time? We'd be glad to have you," the man smiled. The mercenary smiled back and nodded. "Oh, by the way," Lucius said looked apologetic again, "sorry to talk shop, but we have recently done a security sweep in the building and the report is done. The security chief wanted to go over it with me, but as I understand it you have more experience. If you would be interested…? I can set it up."

"Of course," Slade nodded.

"You have to dumb the results down for me," Robin grinned up at him, playing Richard, "but please do, stuff like that is interesting."

"I'll give you both a report," Slade chuckled, giving him a quick grin.

Monday came around and Robin found himself face-to-face with Lex again, even though it was only on the screen. Slade was safely in the security meeting and Robin was in Lucius office, looking quite suspicious, which Luthor apparently found funny.

"That look on your face breaks my heart," the billionaire chuckled.

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts," Robin quoted. "What plan have you come up with and why?"

"I know Deathstroke," the man stated. "More than I care for by now, actually," he added dryly. "He likes challenges. I think he has come to a point where he feels the challenge winning you is nearly over; it would be the perfect opportunity to get him to bite on something new."

"You think that will work?" the teen said, almost feeling a little bit insulted.

"Well, maybe not in the long run, but enough to get him out of your hair for a while, or to at least consider the life he has apparently left behind."

"Okay… I like that, I tried to remind him of that the other day as well," Robin nodded. "But he won't fall for just anything… if he thinks he's being tricked…?"

"No, the job is legit, and even better; it's government sanctioned, it's on the other side of the world, it's a one man job that demands highly skilled expertise and the three people sent on it before have all failed and died. I have contacts who can approach him about it through his usual means of contact, it shouldn't arouse any suspicion. If he takes the job or not is of course up to him, but just getting asked should be enticing enough."

"Can you, in any way, control when he'll be getting the call?" Robin asked.

"Not to the minute, no, but once I say go, he should get it within a few hours, perhaps sooner."

"It sounds very good, but don't go ahead right now, I need to talk things over with Lucius here, and he'll be in touch. Or possibly Alfred."

"I'll await your orders," Luthor said in such a faked humble voice it made the teen burst out laughing.

"What do you expect in return, though?" Robin asked.

"I only want you to have a choice," the man said, looking serious. Then those green eyes glittered a little. "I'd also appreciate it if our deal could remain and that I could ask you out when I was in Gotham…. And if you're ever here, of course."

"You'd set me up in a nice hotel?" Robin smirked.

"Oh, no, no hotel for you. You'd be my personal guest at my house," the man leered. "I'd make you feel _very_ welcome."

"I still feel like we're cheating on Superman," Robin grinned and got a chuckle in return.

"Mr. Wayne…?" Lucius interrupted, reminding him that the time was limited.

"Right," Robin nodded. "Thank you, Lex," he said, intentionally using the man's first name. "We'll be in touch. And if this works, I _will_ buy you dinner. No promises of anything more, but I'll let you pick the restaurant."

"I'd like to be offered breakfast in bed, but I'll take what I can," Luthor smirked.

"Of course you do," Robin smirked back and then quickly ended the call.

"Okay, that was… unexpected…" he said, trying to sort through the threads in his head, hoping they would weave together and create a clear pattern. So far there was a lot missing, though.

"Alfred mentioned what happened Saturday. Wilson seems very determined to stay to threaten you like that."

"Yes. But Bruce's identity is the only thing he has to hold over our heads," Robin nodded. "Well, and the catastrophic results following, of course. I need to talk to Catwoman…"

"Funny you should say so," the man said and pressed the button on the intercom. "Please show Miss Kyle in," he told his secretary.

"You set an appointment with her?" Robin gaped.

"Yes, I'd figure that it would be a good idea to meet face to face for once, especially as I know that Wilson will be busy for at least another half hour. The Chief of security is thorough and always have very long power point presentations. Hopefully Wilson will play along nicely with that, this first time."

A slightly chubby woman with auburn hair and fashionable glasses entered the room. It took Robin several seconds to recognize her.

"That's quite a disguise," the teen gaped.

Selena grinned at him and removed her coat, which turned out to be stuffed, making her look several sizes larger than she actually was. It also disguised her the flowing and agile way she moved.

"Thank you. It's a blessing sometimes," she said. "So… I've been summoned…?"

"Yeah, sorry," Robin hurriedly said, knowing that the woman abhorred anything even resembling an order, "we don't have much time."

"The documents should be ready in a day or two," Selena said. "Alfred arranged for the payment. Was there anything else?"

"Yes," Robin said. "I'd like to know about the underground world and their views on Batman… are they talking about him? Has it been noticed that he's seldom seen?"

"They are starting to, yes," Selina nodded. "It wasn't that uncommon for Bruce to be away with the JL. for example, but people are starting to talk about how he, even when he's seen, hasn't caused any real damage lately."

"How many of the big ones are active right now?" the teen asked.

"Well, actually most of them are in Arkham," Catwoman shrugged. "Two-Face is out and the Penguin, but they are more focused on their own business."

"So the Joker is locked up?" Robin said, looking relieved. That was great news. Of every villain in Gotham the Joker was the one most likely to launch a personal vendetta.

"Not only that, but haven't you heard? The guy has skin cancer. He's undergoing treatment, but I haven't heard any good news."

"Oh, but that's_ great_ news," the teen grinned. "I'm not going to spend even a moment feeling sorry for him."

The woman snorted. "You shouldn't. The man's a lunatic."

"Basically," Robin said, after nodding his agreement, "I want to try to figure out how bad it would be if Slade went through with his threat and told the criminals of Gotham about Batman's identity… and that he's gone, of course."

The woman looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. They would celebrate, of course, but as he's dead, I'm not sure most of them would risk attacking the manor. Sure, they would have loved to get back at him, but I think they would consider it too much of a risk and as he's not there anymore. It might be different if they had found out his identity while he was alive. And they know the manor is no easy task. I mean, they have known about Bruce's death for over a month, they know the place is full of valuables and only two people live there, a boy and an old man, but no one has ransacked the place yet, have they? There are also rumors that Bruce was a personal friend of Batman and the JL and that they manor is protected. Most people have enough problems to deal with without wanting more. Besides, all valuables at the manor are too well documented and marked to be an easy sell. Trust me on that," she added with a grin.

Robin nodded back. He hadn't thought of that. The guards at the manor hadn't reported any specifically increased activity apart from people who were either curious or wanting to pass on their condolences after Bruce's death. He knew for a fact that no one had been inside. That was good news.

"The government will be the big threat, then," Lucius concluded. "And a very real one. You might face prosecution as well if someone thinks he or she will gain from it."

"My main concern is the manor," Robin claimed. "I should be able to lawyer up enough to keep me out of court at least until most of this has blown over. Alfred can claim ignorance, no one will believe that a frail-looking old man could have acted as the informational hub for Batman. He'd happily play half senile as well, if needed be. I don't want the house to be torn down, however, and the Batcave is almost a vigilante on its own, I swear you can just sit there and direct the police to the crimes if you wanted."

"Sounds like you have been doing that," Lucius smirked.

Robin chuckled. "A few times. I tried to keep up when Bruce died, but actually going out eventually took too much of a toll on me. At the same time, I couldn't sleep very well, so… yeah… a few nights I ended up down there. At least I was doing _something_."

"I understand," the man nodded solemnly. "Once this is dealt with you could do so again. Don't give up hope."

"I have more hope today than I've had an what seems like a long time," Robin smiled and turned his attention back to Selena.

"Can you keep your ear to the ground? I wouldn't mind you strengthening the rumors about the manor being protected either," he said.

"I can do that. I can tell them I was almost caught by Martian tech, checking it out. Hinting that the place might not be physically guarded by Superman, but that they have an eye on it, and you."

"Let us know how it goes," Robin smiled. "Well, let Lucius know, that is."

"Are you going to force him to play that hand?" the woman asked, looking doubtful. "Even I would think twice about provoking Deathstroke."

"Oh, I won't provoke him at all," Robin grinned. "In fact, I'll be a very good boy… at least until it's time to be bad."

"Well, good luck, kid," the woman chuckled. "You'll need it."

"Don't I know it," the teen sighed.

Robin had been back in his own office for a while when Slade stalked in, looking annoyed. The teen stood up, the worry on his face real, in case the man had gotten wind of something he shouldn't.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Only the most boring, droning voice I've heard and being treated like a slow toddler," the man muttered.

"What…? Oh, the presentation? It was that bad?" Robin had stayed by his desk but Slade was now walking up to him.

"It was. I desperately wanted to snap the damn man's neck but unfortunately he's doing a good job," the mercenary grumbled and pulled him in for a kiss. Robin immediately complied and melted against the man with a little chuckle.

"You need to be consoled?" he asked jokingly. "Poor baby," he added in a teasing voice, which earned him a playful smack on the ass.

"I feel terrible, I think I need more than a kiss and a hug," the man smirked down on him.

"Save it for tonight," Robin told him. "We have another meeting in ten."

The man grudgingly agreed and, after one more kiss and a bit of groping, let him go. Robin chuckled under his breath as he gathered his things from the meeting. He had been very good since Saturday. Not a doormat, because he knew Slade had been right about him not being able to play one for long, but he hadn't resisted any advances in the least and acted like he didn't mind them or the mercenary in the least. His hopes were that Slade thrived on resistance and would find the experience satisfying but a bit boring in the long run. It was a long shot, sure, but it was also a strategy that avoided conflict and hopefully kept Slade happy and secure enough in his role not to be causing more problems. Slade had picked up on it, though, and last night he had brought it up.

"You seem quite calm about the developments," he had said, as he was leisurely playing with the teen's hair. Robin had merely stretched next to him, their naked bodies still somewhat clammy from sex.

"I'd just figured that, for now, you're right. I don't have anything to complain about, really. Although I would have appreciated it if you hadn't sprung that announcement on me. Why did you decide to do that, anyway?" he had asked, actually curious.

"I'd figured that if this is going to be a long-term thing, we'd better build the foundation for it. I want whispers to start spreading, slowly, so when it happens, it won't come as a big surprise. That way we'll most likely have most people supporting the idea."

"You really still see yourself with me in a year? Five? Ten?" Robin had wanted to know.

"I don't see why I wouldn't."

"Well, I'll age, for one," the teen had pointed out. "I won't stay this small and cute forever," he added wryly.

"I'm aware that you're not a puppy," the man had snorted.

"You'd better remember that," the teen had mumbled tiredly and burrowed deeper under the blankets before promptly falling asleep.

That had been last night and the mercenary seemed content enough with the teen's reasoning, even though he would be stupid to fully trust it. Instead he seemed to have a 'let's see what happens' attitude to the whole thing and was obviously secure enough in his role to not feel threatened. This was perfect for Robin, who just wanted to keep things at status quo for as long as possible. As Slade had apparently taken a few hints from Lex and started to be a bit more generous in bed too, the teen found sex easier on him as well. He considered sending Lex something as a thank you.

That night Robin frowned as he got into bed with the mercenary. Slade noticed the disgruntled look and apparently expected to have a fight on his hands as he asked what the matter was.

"If we're going to sleep in here, can we move my mattress in here? I like it better. Or can we just move into my room? This is just a guest room, mine is bigger, has a better view and a better bathroom. Besides, I wouldn't need to move any toiletries in here, not to speak of my wardrobe. Going down the hall to dress is stupid. We can make room for your things, especially after you've forbidden me to wear most of my old civilian clothes," Robin finished. He was filled with glee as he saw the very triumphant look in the man's eye. He pretended to be affronted by it, though, "Don't look so damn smug! I'm just trying to be more comfortable!" he snapped at the man, who merely smiled back like the teen was cute.

"It's a very good idea. Yes, we'll move into your room tomorrow… as for now…" the man said, rolling himself on top of the teen.

"Let be guess… as for now, _ass_ for now?" the teen smirked.

"Clever boy."

"Yes, but also slightly _sore _boy. If you want to get in there, you'd better be very close when you do. I really can't take a fifteen minute ride right now."

"Well, it's your job to get me there… better get started," the man smirked. The teen was pretty happy to do so.

A/N: Not sure who's getting the better end of the deal here, actually… 😉


	13. Chapter 13: Control Freak

**A/N**: I was writing on the story when I realized it was Tuesday and I needed to update. Oops.

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 13: Control Freak**

Early the next morning Slade watched a sleeping Robin thoughtfully. He grudgingly had to admit that he had gone about this whole thing wrong, but then again, he had gotten into this with the goal of getting the boy under his control and fuck him. He hadn't really expected to want to stick around, so it hadn't mattered if Robin hated him or not. Now, however, things would go much smoother if he had the boy's affection, but it was rather too late for a do-over. He idly wondered if time travel was available in any form and then snorted. The sound made the young man frown slightly and then cuddle closer in his sleep, apparently searching for a heat source. Slade groaned internally. He _did_ want to start over. He couldn't possibly hope to gain the boy's affection this way, even though he stood by his declaration that it was silly of the boy to want 'love'. He'd make sure Robin was well taken care of, he'd deal with any rebellious ideas swiftly and harshly and that was it. As long as Robin was under his control, things were as good as they could be. There just wasn't any other way to do it. Well, unless he brainwashed him. Slade considered it for a bit but then dismissed it. It might get him the results he wanted but it would also change Robin, might even destroy him, and what was the fun in that? He lifted his hand and slapped that deliciously pert bottom.

"Get up, time for the gym!"

Robin grunted. He was used to being rudely awakened by now, and he should learn to sleep on his back to protect himself from the man's favorite form of waking him up. In the gym he got to work out some aggressions, however, as Slade changed it up a bit so they sparred instead of using the machines. Just like last time, they lost track of time.

"Master Richard? Aren't you running late?" Alfred asked them from the elevator.

Slade checked the time and swore. "Into the shower, we'll make it if we hurry," he ordered.

"I'll pack up breakfast to go," the butler told them.

"Just stuff it in my mouth," Slade ordered not that much later.

"I'd love to," Robin snickered evilly.

"I swear I'll drive us off the cliff," the man growled and finally got his wish; a mouthful of bagel. Robin was enjoying his own breakfast in the seat next to the man. Slade was driving fast but controlled. The teen felt a faint flutter of unease in his stomach, but no more than that. He held up the man's coffee for him as well, just for that.

"That's enough, thank you," Slade said. "I can eat properly at the office later."

"How long can you go without food?" Robin asked curiously.

"The longest so far was about three months, without a proper meal, but I had some water and some insects," the man shrugged. "Still I prefer something in my stomach when I get hungry too, just like most people. Being able to survive doesn't mean you don't feel it."

"Wow. You have to tell me that story sometime," Robin said.

"Can't. I would have to kill you. Official orders."

"So… you'd tell me that story sometime then?" the teen said dryly.

Slade shot him a smirk. "Possibly."

The teen snorted. "And here I gave you a bagel and everything," he muttered.

"Half. You ate the rest," the man pointed out and the teen discovered that it was true.

"Well… serves you right," he claimed.

"The cliff is still right there," Slade pointed out, which made Robin huff but remain quiet.

This Tuesday morning consisted mainly of office work with no meetings, so Robin had expected to be able to work in peace. When his office door flew open, however, that hope was shattered.

"But Mister-"

"We're friends, I'm telling you he'll see me!" Roy snorted and swaggered in. "Scram, we want some privacy," he told both Slade and Miss Crown who had been trying to stop him. Robin saw the shape of a security man hovering outside, and the only reason that Robin hadn't been knocked to the floor by now was that they knew who he was.

"It's alright, I'll deal with this," Robin said to the woman and then looked over at Slade. The man nodded shortly and left the room too, though not happily, and would most likely position himself by the door in the hopes his excellent hearing would pick up something.

Once they were alone Robin turned to his old friend.

"The hell, Roy? What is this about now?"

"I should be the one saying what the hell!" the redhead growled. "I know you are behind it!"

"Behind what?" the teen sighed tiredly. He had enough of his own problems and not enough energy to deal with Roy's.

"The JL has had a damn intervention for Ollie!" the redhead claimed, "And the Titans, both East and West had one for me! Apparently, I have a drinking problem!"

"Glad you're seeing it," Robin drawled.

"I don't have a fucking drinking problem; I just like to let loose sometimes! I can't help it that you're all such goodie two-shoes! You're all so uptight you'd need a pencil dick to fuck you!"

"Firstly, you're drunk right now! I can smell it on you! Or you haven't sobered up since last night. It's ten in the morning! Secondly, you are the one who thought it would be a great idea for you to marry me so_ I_ could handle all the business and you could continue to live life as a spoiled brat!" Robin barked.

"But you like this kind of thing!" Roy objected.

"DOES IT FUCKING LOOK LIKE I LIKE IT?" The former hero yelled in the archer's face. "Did I at ANY point when we talked indicate that I was HAPPY?! Or did you even listen to me?"

"You were handling stuff just fine," the redhead huffed, slightly taken aback by the raised tone of voice.

"Because I HAD to! Because BRUCE IS DEAD! Ad I wasn't fine, I was falling apart at first! You have your mentor, he was going to teach you the business, at least that's what I thought, and you're just looking for ways out! But that's okay, you know! You don't have to take over his company, but then you should damn well get an education and a job on your own, because it seems hero-work is a bit too much for you too nowadays. Difficult to hit the target with a hangover, I expect," Robin growled.

"You need to fucking chill-"

"YOU NEED TO FUCKING GROW UP!" Robin yelled. He then took a deep breath. "Seriously, Roy. Get out of here. Decide what you want to do with your life, without alcohol, and then set some damn goals for yourself. You're drifting. Oliver might not be the best role model here. Maybe you need to talk to Superman. I don't know, all I know is that I can't help you with your problems as well. I have enough on my plate."

"Yeah, being rich, famous and successful is so damn hard," Roy snorted.

"One day," the teen said, in a deadly calm voice, "one day, I might sit you down and tell you what exactly I'm going through right now, but you haven't proved to be even close to a good enough friend to me to do so now. I'm not trying to one up you, I recognize that you have huge personal problems too, a life crisis. Actually, I think I realize that more than you do. Still, I can't help you with it, because support goes both ways. And you need to open your eyes to your own situation first. Go, Roy. You used to be a good friend to me, we had fun, but right now… that's gone. Once you got at least some of your shit together, call me. Tell me what you intend to do, but don't expect me to bail you out of a situation so you can go right back into it. We're done here." The teen indicated the door.

"You're so damn high and might-"

"Slade!" Robin called out. Not too loudly, but the door immediately opened.

"It's time to go, Mr. Harper," the mercenary growled. When the redhead seemed to want to object, the mans' hand shot out and a moment later Roy was walked out of the office with a hand gripping his neck like a vice. He was pushed into the arms of the guard who was told to escort the young man out. "He and his guardian need an appointment from now on," Slade informed the secretary before returning to Robin.

The teen was subtly shaking in repressed anger.

"Breathe," Slade told him. The man came up to him and embraced him, something the teen fought for a moment before giving up and just collapsing against the mercenary's chest, sobbing dryly and shaking more visibly. They remained like that for a few minutes until the teen was able to breathe normally again and had completely relaxed against the man.

"I really thought he was my friend," he mumbled.

"He was. He might be again. But right now, he's not able to," Slade said soothingly.

"I should help him-"

"You did. He has people looking out for him because you sounded the alarm. Now it's up to him. If he doesn't want to change, if he doesn't see the problem, then he's not going to. That part no one else can do for him. You even offered him to come back once he had sorted those things out," Slade pointed out.

"I knew you'd be listening," Robin grinned wanly.

"Of course," the mercenary snorted. "Now, get back to work," he told him.

Robin let out a chuckle and, with a last deep breath, pulled himself completely together.

"Can we spar tonight again?" he asked the man.

"This will be very painful for me, won't it?" the man smirked down at him.

"I have some aggressions to work out. I'd suggest you'd wear a cup," the teen smirked back.

A while later there was a tentative knock on the door and Miss Crown walked in, looking around like she expected the place to be trashed. When nothing seemed out of the ordinary Robin could hear a small sigh of relief.

"Pardon me, Mr. Wayne, but they are asking for your speech for the teleprompters."

Robin suddenly had the feeling that he was in a living nightmare. One of those where there was a test ha hadn't prepared for.

"What… what speech?" he said.

"The Gotham Business Association Gala on Friday night?" the woman said, sounding both apologetic and somewhat panicked at once.

"Holy…" Robin pulled his calendar up on his phone and his desktop one too. "Shit. Shit-shit-shit! It's in my phone, but not here," he said, gesturing to his planner. "Holy…It's only marked as 'event'… I have to hold a speech?!"

"Mr. Wayne, that is, Bruce, traditionally did…" the woman said in a small voice. "I… I spoke to you about it a few weeks ago, before…" she glanced over at Slade.

"I... yes… yes, I'm sure you did, it's not your fault. They… they need this speech? Now?" Robin had no memory of this at all, but the weeks after Bruce died was mainly blank. He seemed to only remember grief, frustration and anger. And fear. The grief was still there, slightly dulled, but strangely most of the rest was more or less gone.

"Well, they are planning and need to know how long it will be, if you are going to use any visual aids and then they want it on the prompter for you, of course," she explained. "The length is probably the most important for them right now."

"How long are the speeches normally?"

"Three to five minutes," the woman answered.

"Ok, tell them three. I'll start working on the speech at once," Robin said.

"Are there any old speeches saved?" Slade wanted to know, and at that moment Robin could actually kiss him of his own volition.

"Of course, I'll send them to you immediately," the secretary said. "I'll stall them until tomorrow, don't worry about it, Mr. Wayne," she said, giving him a small supportive smile.

"Thank you so much," Robin smiled back.

When the woman left, Robin's forehead hit the desk as he temporarily just gave up on life.

"Another speech?" he groaned.

"A short one," Slade said as if telling him not to whine. "You focus on that up until lunch, it shouldn't take you longer than that."

"I guess. Okay." The teen sighed, resigning to his fate.

Once the old speeches arrived, Robin didn't find it that difficult to write his own. It was all about working for the city, how Gotham was flourishing and so on. Of course he started out talking about Bruce and honoring his legacy. He also threw something in there about how new generations should take the opportunity to learn from the old ones while there was still time, just because he had Roy freshly in his mind. Also, it showed respect to his fellow business magnates who, mostly, were older than Bruce had been, and it didn't hurt, he figured. He then ran through it with Slade a couple of times, edited it, timed it and then he was done, to his secretary's delight. Slade interrupted her on the way out.

"Miss Crown, could you find out where young successful men go to get their hair cut in Gotham and secure an appointment before Friday, please? Use Richard's name to make it happen."

"Yes, Sir," the woman said, shooting Robin a surprised glance. The teen just smiled like he was on board with the idea and added;

"Yes, Mr. Wilson, thank you for reminding me, I had completely forgotten."

"No problem," the man smirked back.

When the door closed Robin gave him a level look. "Doesn't it seem a bit strange that you, my business consultant, should care about my hair?"

"Probably, but I just realized you needed a trim," the man shrugged. "Besides, once we go public with our relationship, those things won't seem strange anymore."

"Of course," Robin nodded. "You'd better act like my employee now though, and get me some coffee," he grinned.

Slade snorted and was about to answer back when Robin's intercom suddenly sounded.

"Mr. Wayne, you have an appointment at Rivers Dion at 1.30, would that be suitable?"

He hurried up to his desk and pressed the button. "Yes, miss Crown, thank you. Oh, unless I have any-"

"You have nothing booked until four thirty," the woman told him.

"Ah. Good. Yes. Rivers Dion. Where is that?"

"I'll confirm the time and send the details to your phone," he was told and the line when quiet. "So where is my coffee?" he asked Slade.

"I'll do you one better, I'll take you out for lunch," the man smirked.

"It's only just after eleven…?" Robin pointed out.

"I'm sure it will take a while to find a good place, get our orders, eat… we can leave directly for the hairdresser afterwards."

"Ok, if the 'boss' says it's ok to skip work I'm not gonna argue," the teen chuckled.

"I'm going to quiz you on some things and we're going to have a working lunch," Slade told him with a grin.

"Yaaay…" Robin groaned quietly.

Lunch was nice, however, and Robin got to prove that he had been listening and learning. When they arrived at the hairdresser, they suddenly became the center of attention, making the teen slightly less happy. He wasn't an actor or a singer, he wasn't even a celebrity, per se, so he had problems understanding what all the fuss was about. Then he spotted his own face staring back at him from a few different glossy magazine covers lying in the waiting area of the salon.

"Mr. Dion will see you in just a moment!" a breathless assistant or something told him and handed them both a glass of champagne. Robin nodded distractedly as he picked the magazines up. He glanced through them and then starred up at Slade.

"I'm a GAY ICON?" he whispered.

"Apparently so."

"But I'm… I'm just a businessman!" the teen objected. "How come I'm everywhere? I'm apparently a style icon as well?! 'Best dressed rich stud'?!"

"You're welcome," Slade smirked.

"So now you need to add 'stylist' to your business card?" Robin smirked. "Holy shit, this is crazy," he said, looking down and the articles again. There wasn't a single interview, apparently they enjoyed that he was being 'reclusive' and 'mysterious'.

"Aaaaalloooo Mr. Wayne, what a pleasure to see you in my 'umble salooooon!"

A man that must have been in his fifties but dressed like a teen and with a face taught by facelifts, descended upon him. Robin decided to take a long sip of his drink as he was taking it all in.

"Pleased to meet you," he smiled once he had gotten over the initial shock. The man was quite over the top and spoke in a very strange mix of femme lilt and an accent that sounded incredibly fake to Robin's ears.

"Pleasure aaaaall mine!" Mr. Dion exclaimed, "Now what can I do for you today?"

"I will handle that, let's discuss some options," Slade said, stepping up to the plate. The idea that someone else decided what a person should look like was apparently common enough not to raise any eyebrows, and soon Slade and the strange man were pouring over style books and talking about him like he wasn't even there. Robin got seated in a comfortable barber's chair and sipped his champagne, pretending everything was as it should. He assumed some people had stylists and trusted those people with their new looks, so maybe that was why this wasn't questioned.

Mr. Dion soon returned to him, running his fingers through his hair, talking about structure and light and volume and Robin tuned out very quickly. The man was apparently pleased with what he had to work with, however, and soon got started. Slade settled at the far end of the salon, where it was quieter, and picked up a magazine.

"'es a very dominant one, yes?" Mr. Dion whispered happily to Robin. "I oooozes off him, does it not? Are you a very lucky boy, yes? Me thinks you might be!"

Robin didn't know what to answer, but luckily the man wasn't much concerned with that. He was doing a running monologue like a one man theater show and any input from his customer seemed to be treated like disturbances to the performance.

It took a full hour and a half. In that time Robin's hair had been washed, cut with both knife and an array of scissors, shaped and styled 'just so'. The teen had no mirror to look in and was therefor quite nervous when it was time for 'the big reveal'. The smile on his face afterwards was mostly because he was relieved that he didn't look strange. The man had actually done a good job shaping his hair so it looked both young but well styled, without looking too different either. The 'artist' excused himself and someone else came up to Robin to explain how to style his hair at home and what products to use. Said products where of course sold there and the teen just nodded to having them put in a bag for him. He was then charged an ridiculous amount of money and sent on his way.

"You look good," Slade told him.

"I'd better. I feel this should come out of your salarey," the teen growled. "And from now on you can't mess up my hair. I won't be able to afford it," he added with a smirk.

"I'll guess I'll just have you ride me from not on, then," the man said in a low voice.

"You'd get tired of that very quickly," Robin snorted.

"Probably. I guess your hair will look stupid from now on, then," the man sighed, like there was nothing to do about it. Robin just snorted again and shook his head at it all.

When they got home in the evening, after the last meeting of the day and some more paperwork, Robin was tired and was trying to sort through the impressions of the day. He had spent an hour in the afternoon going through his physical and digital calendar with his secretary to make sure he knew what was coming up, both when it came to the business but also the many charities and other social events that he was expected to attend. There seemed to be at least one every week, and the teen had groaned at the prospect of any free time disappearing.

"I'm not used to living like this!" he told Slade later, during their promised sparring session. "I'm used to surprise attacks by alien slime worms and celebrating with pizza and movie night, only to have the H.I.V.E trying to steal all the city's statues an hour later."

"They did? Why?" Slade asked curiously.

"Prank," the teen spat and just managed to duck a punch. "Anyway, it wasn't like I had any more free time back then, but it wasn't this -oof- obvious."

"Focus."

"That hurt."

"Yes. Because you didn't focus."

"It's just that my life is now written down and scheduled, like everything I d-" Robin's tirade was cut off as he ended up on the floor and lost the air in his lungs.

"If you're not going to do the work, the session is over," Slade told him.

"I just feel trapped!" Robin exclaimed from the floor. He hadn't gotten up because even he realized that he was way too distracted to do this. He looked up at Slade, feeling rather miserable. "Sorry," he added, hanging his head. "This isn't even your fault, though. This is what it would be even without you here."

"Without me here the board would have voted you off, by now. They wouldn't risk the whole company over a kid having tantrums," Slade scoffed and threw him a towel. Robin grabbed it and wiped his face, having managed to work up quite a sweat after all.

"Yeah, you're probably right," the teen admitted honestly. That outburst towards his secretary he had had would have just been the start and it would have spread like wild fire. Slade had probably reduced the damage quite a bit by showing up when he did. He accepted the man's hand and found himself pulled into a kiss.

"Feeling better?" the man asked when he let him breathe again.

"A… little…" the teen panted.

"See? This is what I do for you. Now stop complaining about your life and take a bit control of it instead."

"But I thought you were in control?" Robin asked sweetly.

"I am."

"And you don't like me wanting to be in control…" the teen pointed out.

"Well, I think that it's time that you get used to a bit of it again," the mercenary told him.

"Sooo… if I take back control, you won't be angry…?" Robin's voice was now sickly sweet, and Slade chuckled.

"Whatever you have planned, I'd be very careful if I were you. There are cells in the Batcave."

"Oh, I darn it, I was just gonna order you to fuck me in the shower… but I guess I can't, then…" the teen said with a very sad, theatrical sigh.

"Well-"

"No, no, no, I won't dare even suggesting sex, I don't want to enrage the alpha male here, after all," the young hero said airily.

"If you think I just can't throw you over my shoulder and-" Slade started, but Robin cut him off with a small sound of protest and very large eyes.

"No, no, you can't do that! Because maybe that's what I wanted you to do all along? Maybe I'm manipulating you? You can't have that! You can't let me act like this and just get what I want!"

For a moment Slade looked nonplussed and then he burst out laughing. Robin snickered along until he was swept up just like the man had threatened.

"Hey!" he objected.

"I'm going to reward you by giving you exactly what you want," the man chuckled, patting the teen's ass as he headed to the showers. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic," Robin grunted, but he still had a smirk on his lips, and suddenly he knew exactly what he wanted to do in all this mess, but one thing stood in the way and he didn't see how that thing could be resolved.

Wednesday morning found Robin and Slade at the breakfast table. They had stayed in Robin's room that night and the mercenary had had to concede that the teen's bed was better.

"I'm moving my things in tonight," Slade said, as he was buttering a piece of toast.

Robin looked up from prodding at his porridge, which had by now lost all appeal to him. "We can't wait until the weekend? Then we'll have more time and I can use it to go through my closet properly," he said. He wanted to stall, just in case…

"Might as well," Slade shrugged, seeing the point.

"Master Richard?" Alfred asked from the doorway. Robin's eyes snapped to him, as he could hear that there was something special the man wanted to convey. He was carrying a few plastic folders.

"Yes?"

"We've gotten requests from school children again, about information about the business and family," he said and then turned to Slade with an explanation, "It seems schools ask their pupils to write essays about the history of Gotham every year. We have materials prepared to send out for these occasions, appropriate for different grades, but-" he turned to Robin again, "Now they need to be updated. If I could borrow you for a few minutes before work? I just want to make sure you feel good about the wording…"

Robin looked to Slade for permission and the man nodded.

"It will only be a few minutes," Alfred repeated and Robin stood up to follow him.

"You haven't finished breakfast," Slade told him.

"May I take it with me and finish it in the kitchen? I don't want us to run late," Robin asked.

"You may," the man nodded, and the teen snatched up the horrid porridge.

Once they reached the kitchen Robin found a few pieces of toast and hot chocolate waiting for him. Alfred gestured to it with a cheeky grin as he took the bowl from the teen.

"I thought, just for this once," he said.

"Thank you! You're the best! So, what's the news?" Robin asked just before stuffing his mouth.

"Lucius called. He wanted some information about the property, he has been digging through old land law. He was very excited about what I could tell him, because you see…"

A few moments later Robin had a huge grin on his face.

"Do you think it will work?"

"I believe, Master Richard, that it's the best we could hope for."

"Talk to the guard firm. Have them hire extra hands."

"What… what for?" the old man asked worriedly.

After Robin told him the worry was mostly gone, however, and there was a grin on his face as well.

A/N: things are starting to happening. Only one chapter left! I just finished the story...


	14. Chapter 14: In Control

A/N: I'm updating this story while it's Monday night here, because the apartment is being renovated and internet is unreliable, so… yeah… Last chapter!

**In Perfect Control**

**Chapter 14: In Control**

Friday morning he was woken up early for a workout, a routine that had been broken a few times lately. His back was still sore, but it felt good to stretch his muscles nonetheless. He pushed his nerves aside and tried to focus on the day ahead. There was a meeting in the morning that he needed to prepare better for.

Business-wise things have been running smoothly. Robin had expected more rebellion, in a way, or at least to be questioned more, but so far there hadn't been any real challenges, and he felt like he was being accepted as both an adult and their leader more and more. He didn't know if that was all him, as he suspected that both Lucius and Slade might have had something to do with it, but he was glad that he didn't have to fight that battle as well.

"It's going to be a long day," he said as he was getting dressed after the shower.

"It is," Slade confirmed.

"I need to find out more about the gala. I know it starts at seven, but do you think I need to be there earlier?" the teen asked, intentionally looking nervous.

"The speech is still bothering you?" the man teased him gently. "We'll ask your secretary; she'll make sure to find out. We can go home for a few hours and rest before it starts."

No, no they could _absolutely _not do that, Robin knew, so he shook his head. "I prefer to rest up in the apartment, if you don't mind? We can bring our clothes and such there, right? Dinner will be at the gala, but I'd prefer to have something light after work, because who know how late they will start serving."

"It's more convenient to stay, I guess," Slade agreed. "But we need to pack what we are supposed to wear, then."

"Alfred can do that and take it over later, though?" Robin said. "He'll make sure everything is in order."

Slade nodded to this too, and told the butler the plans over breakfast. Alfred of course agreed and then they left for work.

"Mr. Pennyworth is here to see you," Miss Crown let them knew shortly before lunch.

"Thank you, Caroline, please let him in," Robin smiled.

The man walked in with several tuxes over his arm.

"What's this?" Robin asked. "I didn't expect you to bring the whole wardrobe."

"Forgive me, Master Richard," the old man told him. "But I noticed that at the cocktail party the tux you wore could have had a slightly better fit, so I brought a few jackets for you to try. Mr. Wilson, your tux and shoes are here," he said and put down a plastic zipped clothes-bag on the man's desk.

"Thank you, Alfred," Slade said easily, and inspected the contents.

"Now, Master Richard…?" the butler said, a disguised order. "If you could remove your blazer?"

Robin sighed and at the same time, perfect timing, his stomach growled.

"Slade, would you mind seeing about having lunch delivered?" he asked pleadingly. "I know Alfred, and this will take a while."

"I'll take care of it," the man said and left.

"Things are prepared at home. The security has been put on high alert, they will call extra men in tonight, and Wilson's things are packed and out by the gates." The man added the last part with some extra satisfaction. "The guards have been given orders not to allow him entrance and only unlock the gate if given a code word."

"Which is…?" Robin asked.

"Rubber duck."

"Ok, that's random enough," Robin snickered.

"The bat computer has been working on altering the security features Slade implemented, removing any passwords he has added. You might need this." The man handed him a slip of paper with a series of ten digits and letters in random order. Robin memorized it in a few moments and gave it back.

"Very good. I want you down in the cave. Cy will take over part of it, but you might need to help me remotely," Robin told him.

"Of course," the old man said and then sighed. "Be careful."

"I'll try. I have the radio with me," Robin said pulling out an ear piece from his pocket. "I'll put it in when it's time. You should be able to follow what's going on."

"Good… good." The man sighed again. "Part of me wishes you'd be happy to settle as a businessman after this, it would be easier on this old heart, but I know that you need to do what is best for you."

"Yeah," Robin smiled and then looked thoughtful. "Not that I'm completely sure what that is yet."

"I won't pressure you either way," the old man smiled. "You're just a young man, you'll figure it out."

"Thank you," the teen smiled and gave the man a short hug. "Now, did we need to look at jackets?"

"Of course not, this one is perfect," the butler snorted and put one of the tuxes down. "I just needed an excuse to talk to you and give you the code." The old man chuckled like he had done something naughty which made Robin snicker as well.

They were just 'done' when Slade returned, carrying a bag that smelled delicious to the teen, who was now starving.

"Thank you for all the trouble Al. Now let's just hope I remember my speech," Robin grinned.

"I'm sure you'll do very well, Master Richard," the butler said and, carrying the extra tuxes, left the office.

"Pick out what you want," Slade told him and handed him the bag. Soon Robin's desk was covered in cartons of Chinese food and he was happily helping himself. He glanced over at Slade and noticed that the man looked thoughtful again.

Slade was used to knowing exactly what he wanted, exactly what the goal was and then focusing on that. He was not used to conflicted feelings and that made this current situation so much more infuriating. He had gotten a call yesterday, offering him a job, or rather, begging him to accept it. Several people had already failed. It was dangerous. Not only did he need to infiltrate a foreign culture if he would have any chance at coming even close to the target, but the hostile environment surrounding the area made it even more hazardous. He was also perfect for the job as he actually spoke the particular dialect there. His sniper skills were also more than up to par, and if he needed to cross the wilderness to get in or out, he would manage. It would take a few weeks to plan and the mission itself would most likely take at least a month, probably two. You couldn't rush something like that or you would end up like the idiots who had already been sent. The man snorted to himself. Why the U.S intelligence service thought they could send their own men on missions like that always surprised him. They were idealistic little tenderfoots who dreamed of being American James Bonds. Pathetic. And now they were desperate. Desperate enough not only to call him, but also offer him a very substantial amount of money, and; more importantly; immunity. They wanted to give him a ten-year immunity deal, but he had scoffed and they had made it a lifetime deal. He would get no crime record at all, even if he shot the president himself in the face. Tempting. The mission was very challenging with great rewards. It was perfect. It just came at the worse possible moment. He had supposed he would take on some missions, here and there, deeply under cover, even when staying with Robin, but nothing like this. He couldn't leave the teen to his own devices yet, even with the hold he had on him.

Slade sighed and reached for some of the food. Robin was munching away at it, so he had made a good choice then. He chuckled to himself and wished all choices were so easy. The teen had said he couldn't leave him, and he had been right. But Slade hadn't liked hearing it. Suddenly he felt trapped, and it was supposed to be the other way around. However, there was no going back now. Robin was his, his grip on the boy was strong and couldn't be wasted. He had told the man on the other side of the line that he'd let him know by tomorrow, but he knew what his answer would be. What it _had_ to be. But he didn't like it.

As they were eating, Robin was practicing his speech for that evening and mumbling under his breath.

"Is it too focused on Bruce?" he asked the man. "Is it too much to point out all the things he did for the city? Does it sound like I'm bragging about how important Wayne Enterprises are?"

"It sounds fine," Slade, who clearly barely could bring himself to care, answered distractedly. The man had been somewhat detached all day so far and, as before, Robin was loving it. He decided to rub something in.

"Slade?" he asked, with a very obvious 'I want something'-voice.

"Yes?"

"Do you think… I mean… if you agree…"

"Spit it out."

"Well… I was thinking… could we take a trip somewhere sometime? Like a vacation? Just to see something apart from Gotham and the inside of a conference room?"

"Of course." The man sounded somewhat happy about the prospect, so Robin naturally had to nip that emotion in the bud.

"Great! I mean, it couldn't be _this_ year, of course… but maybe in a year or two? I know you want me to learn the business so there wouldn't be time, and leaving Gotham now might be seen as a weakness from my side, like I'm not willing to work hard," the teen finished. He saw that he had successfully planted the image of a conference room in the man's head.

"No one can deny us a honey moon," the man said, although only halfheartedly.

"Of course not," the teen snorted. "But it's not like we can marry within a year either. First, we need to start officially dating, then you need to propose a year or so later, because doing so too quickly will be looked down upon, it won't be considered stable enough. After that, taking a year to plan a wedding isn't unusual… so, yeah, at least two years. Sounds like a long time," he sighed. He popped half a spring roll in his mouth and furtively glanced at the man. He looked nicely annoyed.

Once they finished eating the teen handed Slade a fortune cookie before taking one himself. He opened it and read the slip of paper, not able to hold back a chuckle.

"I'll apparently meet a new friend soon," he said. "What does yours say?"

The man handed it over silently, Robin read it and burst out laughing. "'You'll be going on a favorable trip'? Not without me! You're not leaving me alone with all the paperwork!" he chuckled. "That's the only good thing about this arrangement… that you actually _work_."

"The_ only_ good thing, huh?" the man smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um… I… Sorry, I…" Robin stumbled, trying to judge if the man was actually irritated or not. "Not that there aren't other… good things…"

"And don't you forget it," the man said flippantly, showing the teen that there were no hard feelings.

"No, sir."

"Good. Now we need to go through the reports for next week, and look at our agendas."

"Yes, and I'd like a shower before the gala. We need to be there at six thirty to go through things with the organizers."

"Then I'll take it upon myself to make sure you _need_ a shower," the man leered at him.

Robin dared to roll his eyes, but didn't comment.

Slade kept his word. He decided they should stop working at four and Robin soon found himself in the upstairs apartment, spread out on the bed, not quite remembering why he wanted to go through with the evening's plans. The world was feeling like a pretty good place right now, and why change it?

Luckily afterglows don't last that long, and a more reasonable part of him then took over. He took a long shower while Slade was again fetching them food, tapas this time, and then they lounged around half naked for a while before it was time to get dressed.

"Still nervous about tonight?" Slade asked him.

"Very," the teen grinned honestly. "But I also know I can do it."

"Good. I have confidence in you."

Robin smiled, finding it funny that Slade cheered him on in this. He sure as hell wouldn't if he had known what the night would really entail.

The hall where the gala was held was no more than a few buildings away from Wayne tower, and they simply walked there, taking in the cool air which still had no real promises of spring in it.

They met up with the organizers who where at that stress level that an event organizer always seemed to achieve, far above everyone else. Robin learned his cues, how he would be introduced, how to adjust the microphone should he need to, and where the TV-cameras and prompters were. The event was being broadcasted live locally on a city business news channel, but the media, representing a broad spectrum of news and gossip outlets, were of course present. It wasn't a super exciting event for people in general, however; a night of speeches, talks, awards and one or two artists, while the invited were dining at small round tables in the large open space in front of the scene.

As one of the speakers, Robin had been seated at a table close to one of the stairs to the stage. Joining him was Slade and Lucius, who came up to meet them nursing a cup of coffee.

"Sorry, it's not that I don't believe your speech to be riveting, it's just that it's been a long week and I would have preferred to vegetate in front of the TV," the man told him and Slade in a joking tone.

"You and me both," Robin agreed and Slade seemed to concur as well.

"I refuse to sit down yet, we'll be sitting here all night," Robin said, looking around. "On the other hand, I don't feel like mingling either."

"Let's go back stage, then, to look around at the chaos," Lucius suggested. The three of them did, and soon it was time to be seated. Robin would be called up first, after a short introduction, and he glanced nervously at Lucius as they made their way to their seats, still half hidden by the scene.

"Holy!" Lucius suddenly called out in agitation. Slade reacted instantly and turned around, only to get a chest full of tepid coffee from the man, who seemed to have tripped on some cables lying across the floor. "Dammit!" Lucius exclaimed when he saw the damage.

"Fuck…" Robin just stared at the mess. "You… you can't go out like that."

"Take my shirt!" Lucius offered.

"I won't be able to button it," Slade pointed out gruffly, and that was true, as the other man was much slimmer.

"Bruce kept extra shirts and suits in the apartment," Robin said. "They are still there; I saw them before." He could see that the man wasn't quite biting, however. Some kind of instinct clearly told the mercenary that he should stick around. The teen was desperate enough to try with the ball-and-chain method. "But I'm up in a minute, you can't leave!" he added. "You have to be here for the speech!"

Telling Slade what he 'had' to do was a very good way of making sure the man would do the opposite.

"It will only take me a moment to go there. I can't show myself like this, I'll be back soon enough."

"But-!"

"Go up and give that speech, Richard. That's an order," the man said and Robin pretended to deflate and nod in agreement.

A few moments later he was introduced and he entered the stage, carrying his cue cards which he had just in case the teleprompter might fail. On the way there he put his earpiece in.

"There?" he said quietly.

"Ready, Master Richard," came Alfred's reply.

At the podium, Robin looked over at Lucius, seeing the man filming with his cellphone, and nodding. The man made a thumbs up. Cyborg was ready.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Robin started. "I would rather be anywhere else than here tonight." He let that sink in for only a moment, hearing confused whispers. "Because me not being here would mean that my guardian and mentor, Bruce Wayne, would still be alive," he explained and the sounds changed to more sympathetic whispers. "I'm here tonight to speak about this city, Gotham, but I can't do so without speaking of Bruce. Bruce was a big part of this city. Not only is Wayne Enterprises by far the largest employer here, he also ran multiple side projects and charities that supported the city in a multitude of ways. I have taken up his mantle, but in some ways I fall short. Bruce provided this city with more than jobs and financial support; he was its protector. Bruce Wayne was Batman."

The room erupted, and Robin saw security men from Wayne Enterprises subtly surround the stage, stopping people from entering it. Good old Lucius had apparently thought of something the teen himself had missed.

"I can't stay here long, so please listen," Robin said and the room quieted down reasonably again. "It's true. He was Batman, and I, myself, was, for a while, his sidekick Robin. As you understand I have quite a few friends with interesting gifts and skills, and one of them are, at this very moment, making sure this news is spread nationally. I'm afraid that means that we have hijacked the feed from the TV-cameras in here, and quite a few stations. I'm sorry about that, but it was necessary to get not only Batman's identity out, but also two messages to those who might like to act on that knowledge: Wayne manor is under protection. It is already well known in certain social groups of Gotham. Don't try it. Secondly, the land itself is protected. The Wayne family has owned this land since the first settlers arrived, and according to Gotham Property laws, it was bought in such a way to insure full proprietorship, a law that hasn't been declared invalid and that now means that the land has a similar status to a embassy, meaning not even an official from this country may enter the grounds. It is my intention to keep the house and its inhabitants safe. It is also my intention to cooperate with the law, while pertaining the integrity of the manor. Wayne Enterprises are, for now, in the capable hands of Mr. Lucius Fox, as I might need to focus on other things while this shock settles." Robin saw a tall man with white hair making his way over from main entrance. "And now I need to go. Goodnight!" he added almost flippantly and ran in the opposite direction.

"Robin! Here!" A female voice called to him and he caught a small bag being thrown at him.

"Thanks Selena!" he grinned and withdrew a utility belt. He dashed through an emergency exit, setting off the alarm, as he fastened the belt around his waist.

"Alfred, is it close?"

"Above the building in just a moment sir," was the reply.

Robin grabbed the one thing he really needed from the belt; his grapple hook. He shot from the ground just as the door slammed opened, revealing an enraged looking Slade.

Robin looked down as he flew through the air.

"I'm breaking up with you!" he yelled out, grinning like a mad man. The man below roared and jumped, started climbing the fire escape with worrying speed. Robin heard a soft whirr above him, though, and grinned as he swung himself up on the small, black jet plane.

"Good driving, Al, you're the remote control king!" he said as he climbed into the cockpit. "Let's get out of here!"

The flight only took a few minutes. The longest time was actually turning and making sure to come in for a perfect landing. As soon as Robin entered the Batcave, Alfred was ready and closed it off completely. Not even if anyone found the hidden entrances would they be able to get through now. Not without explosives.

"Anyone contacting us?" the teen asked.

"Only everybody. Who do you want to talk to first?"

"Someone local," the teen sighed. "Make sure to check the outer security, make sure they manage everything."

"So far, so good. The press should start arriving at any moment, though," the man said. "Putting commissioner Gordon through."

"Hello Commissioner," Robin said cheerily.

"Don't hello me, brat, have you any idea what you have done?" The man sounded irate, but there was something warm in his voice as well. At least Robin hoped he wasn't imagining it.

"Sorry about the chaos, I hope for all our sakes that it will die down soon," the teen said, talking over the speakerphone as he let his fingers fly over the keyboard and monitored a multitude of images of news media.

"Half the judges in the city have been woken up, people are screaming for search warrants," the man pointed out.

"Tell them to check the law, they can't issue any," Robin told him.

"I assumed that part was true."

"It was all true."

"Yes, of course. Alright, I'd try to hold everyone off. Don't have jurisdiction when it comes to the CIA or FBI, though. I'm sure both are interested."

"If they call, give them this number, tell them we will do our best to reply. We are not hostiles. Please repeat that to them. A lot."

"Might need to," the older man grunted. "Very well, brat, I hope we all come out on the other side of this somewhat unscathed."

"Me too," the teen sighed.

"Whatever prompted you to give up the secret in the first place?" the man wanted to know.

"Well… basically… marriage," the teen chuckled.

"Congratulations…?"

"I fucking hope not," the teen snorted. "Honestly? I was blackmailed. The person knew. I'd put out a warrant for Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke. Proceed with caution. Extremely dangerous."

"I assume this man know who you are and where you are?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"I'd be careful myself then. Good luck, Boy Wonder."

The teen grinned. "Thanks."

Someone tried to get through using the direct link to the Batcave and the teen answered. He expected maybe Cyborg or even Slade, somehow, but no.

"Superman?"

"The J. L needs an explanation. And an assurance you won't out any more of us." The man sounded stern but mainly looked concerned.

"Send a journalist and you'll get the national scoop," Robin grinned.

The man of Steel looked surprised for a moment and then gave a small smile on his own. "Expect company soon."

"Do me a favor and fly in," the teen said. "It would help right now."

"Sure, use my good name," the man snorted. "You'd better have a good explanation for this."

Clark got his explanation, both the real one and the slightly edited public one for his interview. They set it up like it was via link, as there was no way for the actual Clark Kent to get to Gotham so quickly.

According to the public story, which Clark helped him with, Robin had been blackmailed by unknown sources who were looking to exploit him and use him for their own means, which was close enough, after all. He had heroically decided to fight back by exposing himself, as he didn't want Gotham to suffer, which he knew it would do, long term, by letting people use him.

"I only feel a little bit dirty about this," Clark sighed once they were done.

"Oh, good," the teen smirked.

"You and Lex actually…?"

"When I said I'd tell you everything I meant it. I even showed you the welts on my back," Robin said seriously. "So… yes. If he hadn't been a super villain, I would have quite liked him."

"Why do I get a feeling you quite like him either way?" Superman wanted to know. "You haven't exactly spewed hate over Deathstroke either."

"Well, if he wasn't a total bastard, I would have quite liked him too," the young man grinned. "What can I tell you; I'm complicated."

"Clearly. Why don't you try dating someone nice?"

"Like Roy?" Robin made a face.

Clark sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No, clearly not. You know what I mean."

"Yes, and let me know if you find any," Robin smiled. "For now, it seems my dance card is full."

The Kryptonian shook his head at him but seemed more amused than worried.

"Keep in touch, kid. If you need help…"

"You showing up here will help keeping unwanted people away," Robin smiled. "Thanks."

"I'll do you one better; I'll stop by the press hoard outside and give them a few quotes."

"Tell them I'm coming out in a few hours to answer some questions."

"Are you?" the man asked.

"Yes, I'm not evil," the teen smirked. "But I might let them wait until early dawn. A lot to do in the meanwhile."

"Understandable," Clark said.

"Wait… shit," Robin suddenly said. "I don't think the local media would love me giving the story away to the Daily Planet, what do you think?"

"Probably not, and you need them. How about you chose a maximum of five local news sources and do a small press conference with them now, and I'll hold off airing the filmed interview for a few hours. It will still be exclusive enough to be a feather in the cap for us, and as you own us, it wouldn't be that strange either."

"Perfect. Any names popping up?"

Clark helped him select five news companies and Alfred contacted them asking if they would be interested in a short interview. They were. Very much so. Then Clark left, as Superman, and hovered for a moment in front of the gates, speaking to the press out there. Robin could picture the images of the man of steel seemingly protecting the iron wrought gates with the large 'Ws". It would make a very good visual message. He almost purred.

The interview went well, Robin played the part of both a victim and a protective hero, who only had the best of Gotham in mind. Not that he didn't, but he was of course also doing it for himself and his loved ones.

When asked if he would continue to run Wayne Enterprises, he said seriously:

"My biggest fear in this is that the company suffers. Not for myself, but for our employees. I have the amazingly competent Lucius Fox at the helm, and we recently welcomed his son Timothy Fox into our folds as well, a young man who has been working hard to help people less fortunate than himself and who has his heart in the right place-"

"Are you a couple?" a journalist cut in.

Robin chuckled. "I am not sure, but to the delight of the straight female population, I believe young Mr. Fox is straight and single. Go get him, ladies," he winked, getting a laugh. "But, back to your first question. The company is my responsibility, I will always be involved in it, although how much might vary. I'd like to focus on charities as well, and, if the Gotham Police agrees, I might be able to help them too at times. There's only so many hours in the day. I hope the people of Gotham will support me, I hope the shareholders and customers will stay with us as well."

"Will you tell us more about Batman?"

"Not tonight, I think," Robin shook his head. "Bruce deserves a bit more time than that, but I understand that people are curious. I'm willing to share some things about the life he lived, we both lived, with secret identities and fighting crime here in the city. There are stories ranging from hilariously funny to deeply tragic, and it will be my honor to tell some of them, but I want the city to get some back from that too… Maybe I'll write a book and donate the proceeds to charity. Maybe I'll have a charity auction with some memorabilia. Every cent will go back to the city in different ways, though, that's what Bruce would have wanted. Batman belonged to us all, he protected us all."

The interview lasted an hour, and after that Robin took calls from officials of different kinds yet again, while Alfred reported on developments along the way.

"Has Slade been here?" Robin asked after a few hours.

"Not according to the guards. They still have his things."

"And he hasn't called?"

"No, Master Richard."

"That… worries me. I should call him," the teen said but then a call from the pentagon came through and he got other things on his mind.

It wasn't until early dawn that he emerged to speak to the press outside. He patiently answered selected questions for almost two hours and then headed inside.

"You look dead on your feet, Master Richard, maybe you should rest?" Alfred suggested.

"What about you?" the young man asked, as the man's expression showed nothing.

"I was fortunate enough to be able to take a long nap in the afternoon before all this," the old man smiled.

"Oh, good. I'm taking a shower, at least. I'll be down in half an hour or so, but if something I have to deal with happens, let me know."

"Of course, sir," the butler nodded.

Robin closed his eyes as the almost too hot water drenched him. He imagined it washing all his troubles away, all his worries all his tiredness. He just stood there for far too long before he even considered reaching for the shampoo.

Once done he dried himself and walked into his bedroom, naked, to dress. It was chilly and he walked over to the window to close it. As he did, he realized that it hadn't been opened before.

He spun around. Slade smirked at him. The man was positioned between him and the door, blocking the exit very efficiently.

"So… this is awkward…" Robin began. His heart was pounding. He knew Slade might very well kill him or take him away as he had threatened. He'd do everything he could to stop either of those things to happen, of course, but he didn't really see how.

"A bit," the man snorted. "That was quite a stunt you pulled."

"Pretty epic, wasn't it?" Robin smirked.

"Don't act like you are the only one who watched Iron Man," the man snorted.

"Ow," the teen grunted. "You forced my hand, though. Our identities were the only things you had on me, the only thing you could really hold over my head. Now everyone knows."

"Yes. Challenging."

"Doesn't have to be," the teen shrugged. "I've been watching you, Slade. You've been strange since you got that call. What was that about? A mission?"

The man gave him a searching look and Robin almost broke out in a sweat before the man decided that he was likely innocent. The teen would have loved to brag about distracting him with a mission, but he knew that the man would dismiss it immediately if he suspected that he had been set up.

"It was."

"More interesting than board meetings and budgets?" the teen drawled. "I'm hurt."

"Really?" the man snorted.

"No, I don't blame you at all. Neither of us are made for this, Slade," the teen said, throwing out his hands. "Not full time! We were made for adventure! We were meant to be out there and experience things, not drown in paper at a desk in a stuffy room."  
"You sound like you want to come with me," the man smirked.

"A hard pass on that one, as you are probably going to kill someone," the teen chuckled. "But if the JL or the Titans needed my help, I'd be off in a heartbeat. My place is here for now, though. Stabilize things. Give something back to Gotham. They have lost something too, although they might be too overwhelmed to realize it yet."

"You act like you think I'd let you."

Robin's features got serious. "I hoped you would. I hoped we could part as… well, 'friends' is such a strong word…" he backtracked.

"You are still mine."  
"So you say," the teen smiled, almost softly. "Why don't you come by again in a few months and we'll see."

"I won't let you go," the man said but then got interrupted by a cough behind him.

"Pardon me, if you would raise your hands, please?" a steady but unfamiliar voice said.

Slade turned around and now Robin could see the doorway too. In it stood a tall, slender man with a gun pointing at the mercenary.

"And you are?" Slade asked, not impressed.

"Albert Pennyworth, sir. I just arrived from the airport and Uncle Alfred asked me to check on Master Wayne. Now, if you would please leave the premises. I'd be happy to show you to your luggage."

"And you're going to do that with a gun with the safety still on?" Slade asked.

Robin got very impressed as the British man's eyes didn't even flicker. Instead he smiled slightly.

"I assure you it's off. When I found out I'd be coming to America I purchased a gun after taking all the required classes. I am trained well enough to relieve you of your other eye."

Slade guffawed."Well, I see I clearly have no choice, then," he said and looked over at Robin. "I quite like him."  
"I am partial to him as well by now," the teen blinked, rather surprised that the young butler wasn't dead already.

Slade turned back to the brit. "Albert, I expect you to take good care of your new master here. I'll be back for a visit soon enough."

"If Master Wayne approves I, of course, have no objections, and naturally I intend to do my job," the other man replied. Robin noticed that his eyes were very much like Alfred's, but hazel. Actually, he and Alfred could easily have been father and son instead of great uncle and great nephew. Right know those eyes were watchful, but held a little bit of humor in them, too.

"Very well. I'll show myself out," Slade said. "I'll be in touch soon," he told Robin and then added, bit an almost proud smile. "Well played, boy."

"You always _did _know how to push me to do my best," Robin replied with a little mock bow.

Albert moved out of the way, but kept the gun trailed on the man until Slade had left. He then turned towards his new employer.

"This was not quite the introduction I had imagined, sir," he said apologetically.

"Well, welcome to Wayne Manor," the teen chuckled.

"Indeed. Now, perhaps," Albert said, "we should see about getting you dressed, sir?"

_Two months later…_

"The fish is exquisite. Here, have a taste," Luthor told him and offered to feed him. Robin smiled and opened his mouth obediently. They were surrounded by a few other tables at the exclusive restaurant and there was a real risk that he man's actions might make it into the media tomorrow. That was Lex's problems though, the teen figured.

"Mmm…" he closed his eyes. "It really is. My halloumi isn't bad either, care to try?"

The man did, and the teen snickered as more eyebrows were almost audibly raised around the room.

"I think that blew the cover of a business dinner," he pointed out.

"I'm delighted that you agree it's something more," the man smirked for across the table.

"Well… never said it was more than a dinner," Robin pointed out. At that moment, Luthor's phone beeped.

"That's strange, it's supposed to be turned off," the man said and took it out of his pocket. "Ah," he said, after looking at the screen.

"What?" Robin asked curiously.

"A certain Mr. Wilson would like me to know that even though he appreciates my kind gesture of keeping you warm until he returns, he prefers if I wouldn't be so considerate. Well. I was paraphrasing. You are still too innocent to hear certain things," the man leered.

The teen grinned. "Does that mean he's on his way back? I haven't heard a word!"

"He seems to have a rather firm grip on what you are doing," the billionaire pointed out.

"It sure seems that way," the teen muttered.

"Oh well," Lex said. "Just let me know when he gets too overbearing and I'll happily arrange another mission for him."  
"And keep me company when he's gone?" the teen smirked.

"Of course."

"Seems greedy of me," Robin leered. "Like having the cake and eating it."  
"Well, doesn't it feel good? To be in control again?" the man asked teasingly.

"Oh, yes…" Robin drawled. "With two super villains bickering over me, a police department that can't decide if they want me to help or consider me a threat, a company that still manages to demand more hours than a day contains even though I'm officially only working part time, and a new under-butler who has decided to learn American slang for some reason and I still have no idea what 'yeet' means… so yeah," the teen half sighed, half snickered, "that's what I am… In _perfect _control…"

_The End_

A/N: shite, I hope people aren't disappointed… some might have expected a huge battle and blood and gore and death and, I don't know… Somewhere in the middle of writing I realized that Slade wasn't happy, however, and hey… Slade needs to be happy (it's in our contract… I don't wanna die…). Robin wasn't happy either, of course, but that's less important (Robin: HEY!?) ? I rather enjoy leaving him in the middle of it all, though… the boy doesn't realize how much I spoil him sometimes. ? Again, I hope you didn't feel I have wasted your time. Now I need to focus on my studies, I'm writing a paper this term, but plot bunnies are always welcome!


End file.
